


The Golden Desert

by Haruka_1224



Category: BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game)
Genre: AU, F/F, Princess Chisato, Servant Kaoru
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-29
Updated: 2018-08-31
Packaged: 2019-05-15 09:52:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 22,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14788241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Haruka_1224/pseuds/Haruka_1224
Summary: In the kingdom of Miyamoto, the King invites two Princes to be the suitors of his daughters, Princesses Chisato and Kanon. Kaoru, the personal slave of Chisato, takes an instant dislike to him, and the feeling is mutual. Overwhelmed by his jealousy, the Prince sets Kaoru up to die. However, the situation takes an unexpected turn when a servant, Mirei, saves Kaoru's life and reveals the secret of the legendary Golden Desert.If they could find the place where the sand shines gold and the wind sings, would their love finally be realized?(Under indefinite hiatus because I am a horrible, unmotivated person)





	1. The Beginning of the End?

**Author's Note:**

> This story is loosely based off the Takarazuka performance, Konjiki no Sabaku (Golden Desert) by Hanagumi in 2016-17.  
> Do leave comments if you have any! I may not respond to them, but I will read them repeatedly, especially when I'm feeling down, because they really make my day.  
> If you want to converse with me about KaoChisa, feel free to do so on Tumblr at Megapieceoftrash! My messages are open to everyone.

For years, a servant by the name of Mirei had sung the most beautiful songs as she went about her work in the castle, and for years, little Crown Princess Chisato had pestered her to tell her more about them. Shortly after she turned five years old, the servant had given in and agreed to oblige her, stopping by at bedtime to tell her the story of the kingdom of the Golden Desert.

An endless expanse of shining, golden sand, it was a desert unlike any other, a desert that was kind, beautiful and filled with life, home to a wonderful people that loved and respected it. It was a desert where the wind and the sun were kind, and water was readily available. Everyone in the kingdom lived a good life, and they had the most beautiful paintings, the finest sculptures and the most hypnotizing songs of all the land.

Unfortunately, many outsiders coveted the prosperity and joy of the kingdom, prompting countless invasions that dyed the golden sand red with the blood of its people. Clouded with envy, they destroyed everything that they touched in a desperate attempt to own even an inch of someone else’s happiness.

“The Desert grew tired and sorrowful,” Mirei had said, her blood red eyes clouding over, “As its people suffered and died, so did the Desert, and the sand lost its shine as the magic faded away.”

Hugging her pillow to her chest, young Chisato stared at the servant with wide, awe-filled eyes, “Will it ever return?”

Mirei suddenly turned to stare at Kaoru, who was curled up on the floor at the foot of Chisato’s bed. Her gaze was so sharp, it made the young girl fidget, tempted to pull her blanket over her head to shield herself.

Why was Mirei looking at her like that, had she done something wrong? Kaoru was not the most capable of servants, often forgetting certain duties or tripping over her own feet, and she had been put under the whip more times than she could count. No matter how much the other servants tried to cover for her, there was only so much that could be done, and Mirei had often given her warnings just before a slavemaster stormed into the room to drag her away. Was it going to happen again…?

“It may, my Princess,” she finally said, drawing her gaze back to Chisato, “If it is found by one with a pure heart.”

“We’ll find it,” Chisato had said, shifting to peer over the edge of her bed, “won’t we, Kao-chan?”

“Of course we will, my Lady.”

Even back then, Kaoru would promise anything to those beautiful eyes, shining like a thousand suns. She would bleed for that smile, she would give even her life if Chisato so much as said the word.

Mirei had chuckled at that, “Maybe someday, I shall teach Kaoru the songs of the Golden Desert. She would be able to play them for you whenever you wish, my Lady.”

“Will you really?” Chisato cried out, nearly leaping from her bed in her excitement. “Oh, thank you so much!”

 

* * *

 

Since that day, the Princess had been enamored with the desert, impatient to plunge into the unforgiving sands that surrounded the castle to find the shining, brilliant gold that had been lost. It was almost as if she were under a spell - she was absolutely hypnotized by the desert and oblivious to its dangers. She had even escaped from the castle and all her servants, once, plunging blindly into the orange sand in a desperate attempt to sate the ache in her young heart. Delirious from dehydration, confused and afraid and barely eight years old, she had been crawling on her knees when Kaoru had found her and saved her life.

Despite that, Chisato remained steadfast in her love for the desert. She would find the magical world where the sand was gold and the wind sang the sweetest melodies, regardless of what stood in her way.

 

* * *

 

Even now, more than 11 years later, Princess Chisato still adored the tale of the Golden Desert more than any other. Though other things had changed in the years that had passed, that was the one thing that remained.

Very many things had changed, Kaoru reflected as she knelt quietly in the grand hall of the castle - things were no longer as they used to be, when they were young. The easy laughter, the nicknames, the whispered promises, the secret gestures and hiding places; all of it was gone, leaving behind only the powerful realization that she was a servant, Chisato was her Princess, and no amount of friendship could change that.

Even though they had grown up together, even though they slept in the same room every night, even though she knew Chisato better than anyone else, the wall between them was insurmountable. From the moment they were born, their fates had been decided, and Kaoru could not hope to challenge it.

It was a painful thing to swallow, but Kaoru was willing to swallow even broken glass if it meant she could see her Princess smile. For Chisato, she would crawl through fire, she would run barefoot through the hot desert, she would…

She would die for her.

“Perfect,” the King declared, his voice drawing Kaoru from her thoughts. “Ensure that all the preparations outside have been completed.”

The servant he was speaking to was nothing but the muted sound of footsteps against stone - within the grand hall, a creature as lowly as a servant had no place to speak. Unless given express permission from their main master, they were to remain mute, for they did not deserve to have their voices ring within the very walls where the King and Queen made their royal decrees.

For some yet-unknown reason, the King had summoned the entire palace into the grand hall, with strict orders that they follow full royal protocol. That meant that Kaoru found herself kneeling on the floor to the King’s left, at the head of the legion of Princess Chisato’s servants, forehead pressed to the ground and eyes firmly shut as she awaited her Princess’ arrival.

To her left was the personal servant of Princess Kanon, a girl named Misaki, someone Kaoru had rarely seen in all her seventeen years. The two Princesses were rarely ever in the same place - born to a concubine ten years the King’s junior, Princess Kanon stayed in her side of the castle, aware of the ongoing feud between her mother and the Queen, Princess Chisato’s mother. They were, after all, expected to take their mother’s side in this situation, even if it meant avoiding their own sister.

For both Princesses and their mothers to be called upon at the same time... it had to be something extremely important.

“Before my daughters should arrive,” the King began, “I would like to introduce our distinguished guests.”

Guests…? What kind of guest would be important enough to warrant the full royal treatment; or was the King merely showing off?

Kaoru heard the sound of heavy, unfamiliar boots echo down the hall - soldiers, she decided, from the careful steps, too loud to be servants but too uniform to be royals. They stopped before the King in one triumphant stomp, with what Kaoru guessed was probably a salute, and then there was a thud of knees hitting the ground in unison.

“The Crown Prince of Himura, General Akihisa.”

A Prince and a General, huh? Kaoru tried to think of the rumors she had heard recently - had the Himura fought any battles? She highly doubted so, ever since the people of the Golden Desert had fallen, there had not been any real confrontations between the kingdoms. A General by name only, perhaps; if she was allowed to look at him, she probably would see a pretentious young man in a uniform he did not deserve.

“Welcome to the kingdom of Miyamoto, Prince Akihisa,” the King had chosen to ignore his military title, having most likely come to the same conclusion as Kaoru had. “I hope your journey was not too tiring.”

“Certainly not, my Lord,” he replied - a boy, Kaoru noted immediately, no more than 18 years old. She could also tell from the tone of his voice that he was used to getting what he wanted, and was not too sure how to deal with this subtle disrespect.

Kaoru assumed he had been silently dismissed, as nearly immediately after, another set of footsteps echoed from the doorway. Unlike the Prince of Himura, this procession was quiet and small - barely five people, from the sound of it, most likely some servants and their master.

“The Second Prince of Kurosawa, Prince Makoto.”

His bow was almost soundless, save for the rustle of clothing; as the second-born Prince, she supposed he had more practice in respectful behavior than the Crown Prince before him and felt no need to exaggerate his gestures.

“It is an honor to be here in your home, Your Majesty.”

A soft-spoken Prince, Kaoru noted, his voice wavering slightly with nerves - if the two Princes were going to be staying in the castle for whatever reason, he was not one she would have to keep an eye on. He had probably long resigned himself to being in the shadows, the kind of boy who decided to swallow his ambitions instead of stick to them.

As the royals exchanged their pleasantries, Kaoru kept her head low and her eyes closed, trying not to tense up as she heard footsteps come to a stop before her. What would a visiting royal want with a servant such as herself?

“When I arrived this morning, I believe it was this servant I spotted playing the most enchanting tune.” It was the Prince of Himura, most likely staring down his haughty little nose at her. “You, what is your name?”

She did not respond in any way, refusing to react even as she heard his voice raise.

“Slave, how dare you ignore me?” She heard his hand draw back as if to strike her, but she remained motionless, as if she had been carved from stone.

“Prince Akihisa,” from the King’s tone, he was not particularly impressed with the boy’s short temper. “Servants have no place to speak in the grand hall. If you are curious about that servant, why not ask its master?”

The Prince backed off with mumbled excuses about being unaware of the rules of servants, being a royal General and all. Just then, the raised voice of a slavemaster echoed down the corridor - they were the only non-royals with a standing high enough to speak in the grand hall.

“The Crown Princess of Miyamoto, Princess Chisato.”

Automatically, Kaoru rose, head still lowered but eyes open as she approached the palanquin, a brilliant gold draped in soft white silk. The moment it came to a stop, she crouched on the floor before it to allow her Princess to use her back as a stepping stone.

As always, Chisato’s step was light - she had protested vehemently against this part of Kaoru’s duties when they were younger, but there was nothing she could do to change it. The best she could do was to be gentle and to avoid wearing heels or heavy shoes.

To Kaoru’s surprise, when she settled into her customary kneeling position, Chisato rested her hand on the crown of her head, the way she had not for _years._ She was anxious about the meeting, Kaoru realized, regardless of whether she knew its purpose, and she was seeking out comfort in the only way she knew how.

As discreetly as possible, Kaoru pressed back into the touch, biting back a smile as Chisato began tracing lazy circles into her scalp.

“Father,” she bowed beautifully, the picture of a proper Princess. “Prince Akihisa, Prince Makoto. It is an honor.”

“P-Princess!” The boys stuttered.

Kaoru wished she could see the looks on their faces - they were probably starstruck, their jaws slack on the velvet carpet. Unfortunately, she was only permitted to look down at the floor, the only thing in sight being their shiny, dark boots.

“It seems Prince Akihisa was taken by your servant’s musical talents,” the King said, his tone almost mocking. “He may wish to know more about it.”

The young Prince made an involuntary, startled noise - it seemed he did not think he had nearly roughed up the personal servant of anyone important. It was definitely a strike against him, if he was trying to make a positive impression; from servant gossip, royals often treated their personal servants like their own belongings, and did not appreciate anyone trying to mess with them.

“Oh?” She turned to him, and Kaoru could practically see the polite smile she was most likely wearing. “I would be honored to tell you more. However, dear Father, Princess Kanon is waiting in the wings.”

“Of course, of course. How rude of us to keep her waiting!” the King clapped his hands, and Kaoru automatically followed Chisato to the side of the grand hall.

Settling onto one knee at Chisato’s feet, she waited patiently as the next palanquin got ready, the slavemaster’s voice echoing through the room once more.

“The Second Princess of Miyamoto, Princess Kanon.”

From the sound of Misaki’s unsteady steps, it seemed that she had been wounded at some recent point, and Princess Kanon clearly knew it. She had practically jumped from the palanquin to avoid putting pressure on her servant, and slowed down significantly so that Misaki could take smaller steps behind her. Even though they lived on opposing ends of the castle, it seemed that the Princesses had a similarity here - they both cared about their personal servants.

Once the duo had settled into their usual spot, an arm’s length to Chisato’s left, the King cleared his throat.

“My sweet daughters, it is time for you to be married,” he said; he had never been the type to beat around the bush, something Kaoru was grateful for. “Prince Akihisa and Prince Makoto have been selected as your suitors, but, of course, I would like you to form your own opinions of them.”

Chisato did a remarkable job of hiding her surprise, but Kanon had nearly jumped, and from the corner of her eye, Kaoru could see that Misaki was pressing herself comfortingly into her Princess’ side like a cat.

“For the next few days, they will be staying in your respective sides of the castle,” he continued, “and I hope that you will find them suitable.”

“Thank you, Father,” Chisato replied automatically, and Kanon hurriedly stuttered hers, aware that displeasing the King was not in anyone’s best interests.

 _Great_ , Kaoru thought, the pretentious and short-tempered Prince had been chosen as Chisato’s suitor. As if it would not be difficult enough to see her married to another, she would have to watch her beloved, precious Princess entertain a boy with an overly inflated sense of self-importance.

“If that is all, you are dismissed,” the King said, rising off his throne, “I have an urgent meeting, so please excuse me.”

The moment he left, the servants began to rush out to return to their jobs, and the Princes froze in startled confusion, like rabbits that had been caught at the business end of an arrow.

Finally, Kaoru could look at them, and they were exactly what she had expected. Prince Akihisa was in a shiny military uniform, his short green hair slicked back in a way that suggested he had spent hours on his appearance, while Prince Makoto was in a neat traveling suit, his long red hair kept back in a ponytail from which stray strands had escaped.

Well, at least Princess Kanon’s suitor seemed decent, she thought, though Misaki was barely concealing a death glare at the poor boy. It was unlikely that either servant would ever approve of a man for their Princess, but since when had a servant’s feelings been taken into account?

“My Lady,” Prince Akihisa had come over, glaring at Kaoru when he noticed that he was quite noticeably shorter than her. “I hope that we will get along splendidly.”

Chisato put on her polite, icy smile, her tone positively venomous as she said, “I do hope you can control your temper better than that unsightly display earlier. Or do you question the way I train my servants?”

He turned bright red, stuttering some pointless excuse as Chisato turned away from him, returning to her palanquin without so much as a second glance. Ignoring the Prince’s glare heavy on her back, Kaoru followed quietly after it, hoping that this foolish boy would not be the one to take Chisato’s hand in marriage.

 

* * *

 

 

The Crown Prince of the Himura was an awful thorn in her side, and Chisato had spent most of the morning enduring his terrible company. If he was not making up grand tales about himself and his supposed conquests in the military, he was snapping at servants and giving Kaoru the evil eye. Despite that, he pretended to have great interest in her music - or perhaps it was genuine, considering how hypnotic the songs of the Golden Desert could be.

Now, she was hidden away in the Eastern gardens, sitting on a silk blanket sipping wine in the evening light. Sat on the edge of the path, Kaoru was performing yet another song for her, eyes closed as she was lost in the lovely illusions of the Desert that they both longed to find.

If only that stupid Prince could shut his mouth for a few moments, she would feel less inclined to throw him off the tallest guard tower in the castle...

“Ah, once again I am lured by such angelic singing.” As if thinking of the devil has summoned him, Prince Akihisa came strolling into the garden, stepping on the edge of Kaoru’s shirt as he passed.

“Are you sure it is not my servant you are in love with, Your Majesty?” Chisato asked, biting back a laugh when Kaoru nearly choked.

She recovered brilliantly, playing on as if nothing had happened, while the Prince stuttered in confusion and attempted to explain himself. It was clear that most of the conversations he had were one-sided, with people beneath him that struggled to please, and he lacked the wit and experience to keep up with her.

“May I ask, my Lady,” he said, having given up on defending himself, “Why do you seem to always be with this particular servant?”

Chisato’s smile softened, and she made a little gesture that made Kaoru freeze. For a moment, she seemed stunned - it was not an order she had received in years, but she quickly obeyed, stepping onto the blanket and kneeling by Chisato’s side, resting her head against her shoulder like a great dog.

“Kaoru is very special to me,” she said as she gently stroked the back of Kaoru’s head, marveling at just how tall she had gotten over the years. “The Miyamoto family has a tradition of raising personal servants alongside their masters. I grew up with her, and there is no one in the world who knows me better.”

Kaoru’s heart was beating so fast, Chisato could feel it, but she was remarkably well-controlled and remained stoic on the surface, as if she had been carved from stone.

“Like a dog, then,” the Prince said, the ugly color of jealousy rising in his eyes.

Chisato shrugged, running her fingers through Kaoru’s hair. She wanted to deny it, but could she really? Kaoru was like a dog, forced to be obedient - what were her honest thoughts on the matter? When they were younger, she could surely tell him they were friends, but now… things had gotten so complicated.

“Well, dog, how do you feel about this?” He asked venomously, as if he had read Chisato’s mind and was exposing her insecurities.

Kaoru did not even react to him, and his face turned an amusing purple color as he struggled not to shout.

“Why is your dog ignoring me?” He spat, crossing his arms like a petulant child.

With a little chuckle, Chisato gently pushed Kaoru’s shoulder, and she obediently pulled away. “Go ahead, I allow you to answer him.”

“I am only to speak when my Princess allows it,” she replied, her voice perfectly devoid of emotion.

“And how do you feel about it?” he asked.

“A servant does not feel. A servant obeys,” she recited mechanically.

If Chisato did not know Kaoru as well as she did, she would have missed the flash of contempt in her eyes for the foolish Prince. Servant or not, she was a better human being than this spoiled child, and she was aware of it. However, was she aware of the more important thing: that, in Chisato’s eyes, there was no one better than her, that no one could ever hope to be better than her?

“I suppose if you raise a guard dog from a puppy, it becomes this… loyal,” the Prince sneered, nudging Kaoru with his foot.

“I trust her with my life,” Chisato said, the anger in her tone barely concealed. “If you have an issue with my personal servant, it seems marriage is out of the question.”

Startled, he cried out, “Are you willing to leave the Crown Prince of Himura for some peasant dog?”

“You are hardly the only Crown Prince in the world,” she said, wishing she could just slap the stupid boy right across the face. “However, I only have one servant who has lived her entire life by my side.”

The Prince could only stare, slack-jawed, as Chisato stalked past him, gesturing to Kaoru to follow after her.

How dare he suggest that he would be a better choice than Kaoru - nothing in the world would be worth giving her up for! Especially not some stuck-up, spoiled brat of a Prince who carried a military title despite barely knowing how to hold a sword!

Even though the distance between them had only been growing, Chisato treasured Kaoru more than anyone else. She loved her, she loved her and that was a sin punishable by death, regardless of whose side the feelings were on. She was royalty, a Crown Princess, and Kaoru was her personal servant - any relationship beyond that was unforgivable. That was part of the reason she had pulled away over the years, in a desperate attempt to kill her feelings, even though it felt more like she was killing herself.

Was she the first member of the Miyamoto family to feel this way? Chisato highly doubted it - their kingdom had centuries of history, and raising two people so closely together just _had_ to result in romantic feelings developing somewhere.

With a sigh, she came to a sudden stop before a large window, Kaoru dropping to one knee almost immediately, like a dog trained to sit every time its owner stopped. It made Chisato’s chest ache to see her like that, head lowered, eyes closed, a stark reminder of her position in this world.

Was there a place, far beyond the harsh sand of the Miyamoto kingdom, where they would not be caged by the circumstances of their births? If they went out over the horizon, if they found the magical land where the sand shone gold, would they finally be able to be together?

“ _Kaoru_ ,” her voice broke, trembling as if she were on the verge of tears.

Kaoru’s head snapped up so quickly, she probably got whiplash. “My Lady…?”

Why did she look at her like that, Chisato wondered, how could Kaoru look at her with such warm, concerned and gentle eyes? Had she not been forced to care for her, to support her, to sleep at her feet and follow after her like a dog? Was she not bitter about her place in the world, was she not angry at all she had been forced to endure?

Shaking herself internally, Chisato asked, “Shall we head to the library?”

Hesitantly, Kaoru bowed, fully aware that she was holding something back but unsure as to exactly what it was. “Of course, my Lady.”

As she ascended the winding staircase to her private library, Chisato wondered if there would ever be a day she could tell Kaoru the truth, or if, with this forced engagement, the beginning of the end was drawing near.


	2. The Sound of Death

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your kind reviews! I am glad that people are enjoying this story.  
> I will try my best to update this story as regularly as possible, but I can't promise anything! Please forgive me in advance.

Over the days, the Prince had only grown more and more irritating, and Chisato found herself taking shelter in her library for hours on end to escape the perils of his company. However, being alone with Kaoru in a small room for most of the day was taking a toll on her, and the air between them was thick and awkward.

Being a servant, Kaoru would not break the silence between them and Chisato lacked the courage to do it herself, so they sat, Chisato on an armchair, Kaoru on the floor at her feet, the only sound being the rustle of turning pages. The book Chisato was reading was an old favorite of theirs, a classic tale of forbidden love that Kaoru had been obsessed with when they were younger, quoting from it with almost religious fervor for _years._

Was she bored, Chisato wondered, risking a quick peek - Kaoru was forced to spend hours of her day motionless, staring into empty space in complete silence; how was her mind not rotting away? She was surrounded by hundreds, maybe even thousands of books, yet she was merely sitting on her hands in complete silence.

However, Chisato knew that even if she offered, Kaoru would never dare reach a hand for a book again. As a slave, she was not supposed to be able to read, she was not supposed to have had any access to an education, because she was not important enough to deserve it.

However, being the personal servant of the Crown Princess, young Kaoru found herself kneeling quietly by Chisato’s feet for hours on end as she endured her royal lessons. It was incredibly difficult for an energetic, physically fit child to remain crouched, motionless, in an uncomfortable position for so long, but with the aid of a whip and cruel slavemasters, Kaoru quickly learned.

Chisato, too, quickly learned to become perfect; being the Crown Princess, it was impossible for teachers to lash out at her if she behaved or performed poorly. However, Kaoru was fair game, being nothing more than a servant, so she ended up on the receiving end of whatever punishment Chisato’s teachers saw fit. Horrified and furious, Chisato poured every inch of herself into her schooling, determined to be so perfect that even the strictest teacher could not find a fault worth hurting Kaoru for.

That led to long, tedious study sessions that were only made more bearable by Kaoru, smiling warmly and patiently by her side, day or night, rain or shine. At times, they would read storybooks aloud together, putting on dramatic voices that left them both in stitches.

Unfortunately, one day, it had all come to an end.

When they were ten years old, a teacher had unexpectedly burst into Chisato’s room without announcement, a crime in itself. However, his crime was ignored in favor of the terrible discovery he had made - young Kaoru, a lowly servant, was _reading._ No, not just reading, she had been writing, doing sums, helping the Crown Princess with her homework, having stolen a precious education.

Regardless of Chisato’s increasingly desperate pleas, Kaoru had been dragged to the dungeons and whipped. For hours, her haunting cries rang through the stone halls, and all Chisato could do was sob uselessly in her room, swearing vengeance upon that teacher. When Kaoru had finally come out, her eyes were dead, her skin pale and bloodied, and it took her weeks before she even dared to raise her head once more. She never had the same energy again, the fearlessness of youth forcibly stripped from her along with layers of her skin.

And though time had healed her wounds, the scars still remained. Chisato knew well that if she were to lift her servant’s shirt, she would be greeted by a mess of pale, jagged lines crisscrossing over her back; that if she could peer into her servant’s chest, she would see similar lines etched into her heart.

There were many things Kaoru no longer dared to do, many things she had been mercilessly beaten for, and it would not surprise Chisato if she had grown bitter for them. Why, why had she been so brutally tortured for things as simple as reading a book, as meeting Chisato’s eyes, as calling her name or holding her hand?

She had suffered so terribly, she had cried and bled and screamed, all because of something she had no control over. Like a bird whose wings had been burned off, Kaoru struggled in great pain, all while staring up at a sky she could never hope to reach.

Did she hate her, Chisato wondered, did she wish she were anywhere else but here?

“Kaoru?”

“Yes, my Lady?” Kaoru sprang to one knee so quickly, it was as if she had been holding her breath for this moment.

Sliding the book into her hand, Chisato asked softly, “Do you remember this?”

Kaoru gulped, eyes flitting up to the book’s cover and back to Chisato’s feet, “A servant cannot read, my Lady.”

Of course she would still be afraid, why would she not be? Experience had proven that her master could not protect her from punishment, so why would she foolishly trust in her and commit a crime as heavy as reading?

Taking a deep, steadying breath, she said, “I’m sorry, Kaoru.”

Startled, Kaoru hesitantly raised her head, “M-my Lady…?”

“I wish I could have done more,” she whispered, running her hand along Kaoru’s cheek, down to the scars revealed on her exposed shoulder. “I wish I hadn’t pushed you away.”

Kaoru’s eyes grew warm and strangely shiny as she slowly rested her hand over Chisato’s, “You could never push me away, my Lady.”

“Then prove it,” Chisato said, struggling to hold back tears. “Call my name.”

For a moment, Kaoru looked terrified, as if she were expecting a slavemaster to swoop in on her and punish her at any moment. What was she to do, caught in such a strange state where she was trapped by bad choices? As a servant, disobeying her master’s order was a crime, but so was calling her master’s name.

Just as Chisato was about to apologize, to brush it off and let the awkward silence return, Kaoru made up her mind.

_“Chi… Chisato.”_

 

* * *

 

The stark reminder that the Prince of Himura had cast over their lives had better consequences than Kaoru had expected. Instead of serving to further push them apart, emphasizing the differences in their bloodline and destiny, it had brought them back together.

She still had no clue why Chisato had kept her at arm’s length for all those years, but she knew now that Chisato still cared about her. Maybe not in the same way that Kaoru loved her, but as an important childhood friend, an irreplaceable human being with whom she had countless precious memories, and that was more than enough for her.

In the days that had passed, they had almost made a game of avoiding the Prince, only meeting him at the compulsory dinner in the grand hall every evening. They revisited childhood hiding places, some dusty from disuse, surprising several guards that found them sitting up in an old guard tower or sprawled out on a rooftop in the servants’ quarters, savoring the delicious scents wafting from the kitchens.

Now, they were in yet another one of those secret bases, a disused observatory in an old section of the eastern wing that overlooked what used to be their border with the kingdom of the Golden Desert. Armed with a basket of food, books and Kaoru’s guitar, they were fully prepared to spend most of the day hidden there, sparing themselves the agony of the Prince’s insufferable company.

Kaoru stood awkwardly by the edge of the blanket she had set out as Chisato settled down, unsure where exactly to place herself. The lines between Princess and servant, between past and present, had been blurred, and Kaoru no longer knew where they stood. In the past, as friends, she would have cuddled right up to Chisato’s side like a puppy, but just days ago, as her servant, she would be kneeling at the farthest edge of the room with her eyes closed.

So, what were they now? Chisato had apologized, she had acknowledged the friendship she had so coldly disregarded, but that couldn’t possibly bridge over the years of cold, businesslike silence between them. Over the past few days, Kaoru had awkwardly placed herself in the middle - not as far as before, but not as close as when they were children, waiting obediently to be called or corrected.

If she were to make a mistake, if she stepped out of line, would she be made to bleed for it…?

“Kaoru, what are you waiting for?” Chisato called out, pulling her from her thoughts.

Was there something she was supposed to do, had there been an order given when she was spacing out?

“P-pardon, my Lady?”

Chisato sighed, shaking her head with a sad little laugh, “You don’t have to look so afraid of me.”

“I…” Kaoru gulped; had she been that obvious? “I’m sorry, my Lady.”

Chisato got up with another sigh, and Kaoru froze in wide-eyed terror as her Princess approached her, encroaching on her personal space. She stopped when they were so close that their noses were almost touching, and Kaoru’s heart nearly exploded from her chest.

What… just what in the world was going on? Her face was flushed crimson, her heart was going a mile a minute and her palms were sweaty; what game was Chisato playing?

Suddenly, Chisato chuckled, the warmth in her eyes reminding Kaoru of easier, earlier times, “You look so much cuter this way, you know.”

“E-eh?” she nearly fell back, wondering if her heartbeat was loud enough for the entire castle to hear. “P-pardon, my Lady?”

Before she could respond, the sound of the dinner bell sent them both jumping out of their skin - evidently, the proximity had them both on edge, even though from the teasing smirk on Chisato’s lips, she seemed as if she hardly cared at all.

What was going on, why were the ghosts of days long gone shining in Chisato’s eyes, as if they had never gone anywhere in the first place? Did she want things to return to the way they were before; did she believe they could?

No, that couldn’t possibly happen, Kaoru thought as she followed after her Princess to the dining hall. Even if she did not marry this spoiled boy, Chisato would eventually have to be with a Prince of some sort, she would bear his children and rule this kingdom and… Kaoru would always be nothing but her servant.

The carefree days of childhood were beyond their reach now, but… could they still keep some parts of it?

Why hadn’t she been born royal? Even if she were not a boy, being a Princess meant that she would be able to befriend Chisato as equals, she would be able to sit at the table with her like one of the foreign Princes instead of kneeling at her feet like a pet. But if she had been royalty, she would have grown up in some other castle, away from the Miyamoto, away from the desert, and away from the girl she loved.

If she had been born royal, would she still be the Kaoru she was today? Would she still be this close to Chisato, would she know all the little things about her that she did now?

Kaoru did not know the answer, nor, she supposed, would she ever. She was a common servant, and that was her unchangeable reality.

 

* * *

 

 

“You’re always with that slave,” Prince Akihisa grumbled as he stabbed moodily at his potatoes, nearly startling Chisato out of her skin as her father raised a single, carefully groomed eyebrow.

“Of course,” Chisato said calmly, “Kaoru is my personal servant.”

“No,” he shook his head, clearly frustrated, “You’re with that dog so much, if it were a man I would think you were in love.”

Kanon looked startled, while Prince Makoto looked like he had just slapped the King in the face with the giant fish in the middle of the table. Did the Crown Prince of Himura think complaining and making false accusations would endear him to the royal family, Chisato wondered, or was he just too used to speaking to people so far beneath him, they could not hope to take any offense?

“Well, as you said, Prince Akihisa,” the King answered for her, “that is a dog, not a man. So, what is wrong with a girl enjoying the company of her servant?”

“N-nothing, my Lord,” he stuttered, his gaze flitting between the King and Kaoru, knelt at her feet. “It’s just that, the Princess is always with that dog, it is hard to spend time with her.”

Before Chisato could even think of what she was saying, the words escaped her in a low growl, “If a servant makes better company than you, I think it is quite telling of your personality.”

Beside her, Kanon’s lips twitched upward oh-so-slightly, her amused expression matching that of the servant at her feet. Speechless, the Prince was staring at her with his mouth wide open, turning to the King as if to urge him to come to his defense. Unfortunately for the boy, the King merely continued savoring his meal, turning to Prince Makoto and asking him if the vegetables were to his liking.

“They are a little stale, my Lord,” the younger Prince admitted nervously.

“Unfortunately, ever since the desert encroached into Miyamoto territory, fresh vegetables have become quite the rarity,” the King said, shaking his head almost sadly; Prince Akihisa looked absolutely floored, as if he could hardly believe that he had been ignored in favor of talk about stale vegetables.

If the Himura kingdom had not been such an important ally, Chisato was sure the boy would have been thrown out ages ago, but neither kingdom could afford to offend the other. If Prince Akihisa continued this way, however, it would be her kingdom taking offense and his having to apologize and attempt to buy their way back into the Miyamoto’s good graces.

Had he never paid attention in a single etiquette class in his life? All he had to do was be polite, smile a lot and pay many compliments - Prince Makoto was the perfect example. A little too shy, perhaps, but his praise sounded very genuine and the King was clearly quite impressed with him.

“Your servants cook very well, considering the circumstances,” Prince Makoto was saying, “In fact, the servants of the Miyamoto family all seem extremely capable.”

As they chatted briefly about the benefits of the Miyamoto’s unique culture of raising personal servants, Chisato found herself wondering - did Kaoru have a family that she had been torn away from? For centuries, the castle was staffed by generations of servants - they had families amongst themselves and raised their children to do the same duties that they did. However, personal servants were a different story - torn from their parents at birth and raised alongside their masters, they rarely interacted with anyone else.

Did Kaoru miss her family, did she ever find herself thinking of what life would have been like if she had not been taken away from them? If she had not been a personal servant, Kaoru would have been spared many of the beatings she had endured - had she ever wished that it were so?

“Chisato,” her father’s voice drew her from her thoughts, “You are being awfully quiet. Is something the matter?”

“Oh, it is nothing, Father. Thank you for your concern,” she replied, giving him the most polite, practiced smile in her arsenal. “Please, do not stop your conversation on my account.”

Easily convinced, he gave her a quick nod before returning to his conversation with Prince Makoto, roping in poor Kanon and asking her a number of awkward questions about her relationship with Misaki. Flustered and confused, Kanon clearly had no idea how to respond, especially when the King began making innuendos about the “curiosity of teenagers” and the things one could “get up to” with one’s personal servant.

Sighing internally, Chisato interjected, “Father, let us not bring up baseless accusations at the dinner table.”

“Of course, of course. My apologies,” he said, not sounding sorry in the slightest. “It just is such an intriguing topic, isn’t it?”

“Are you implying, Father, that you did the same with your servant?” Chisato asked, her tone too innocent for her words.

For a painfully long moment, a tense silence enveloped the room, as if no one could believe she had dared to say what she did. Finally, the King broke it, laughing so loudly that even the servants flinched.

“My daughter has quite the sharp tongue, doesn’t she?” he asked as he wiped a tear from his eye, “I believe you are hardly a match for her, Prince Akihisa.”

Startled by the sudden attention, the Prince tore his angry glare off Kaoru and stuttered, “I- I try, my Lord.”

The King laughed again, turning his gaze down to Kaoru, who was tall enough to be seen over the edge of the table. “Servant, what do you think? Is your master’s tongue too sharp?”

Kaoru froze, and Chisato immediately recognized the situation she was trapped in - as a personal servant, she was not supposed to acknowledge him because he was not her master, but ignoring the King was yet another unforgivable sin. Fortunately, Chisato had a very easy solution to her dilemma.

“Go ahead,” she said gently, resting one hand on Kaoru’s shoulder. “Speak as honestly as you like.”

Kaoru looked up at her, affection and warmth filling her eyes for the briefest moment as she said, “No, my Lord, I do not believe my Lady’s tongue is too sharp, as long as your wit is not too dull.”

Chisato could not stop herself from laughing, surprised by how brave Kaoru had decided to play it. She could have easily given a standard, boring answer, playing it safe and further reinforcing herself as a plain, featureless slave. However, she decided to show a little attitude, clearly throwing the King and Princes off guard.

Recovering first, the King chuckled, “Quite an interesting servant you have, Chisato.”

Before she could respond, Prince Akihisa suddenly clutched at his wrist, a startled expression on his face. “H-huh?”

“Is something wrong?” the King turned to acknowledge him, watching as the poor boy grasped at his pockets and looked about him in a panic.

“My bracelet,” he explained, suddenly sounding like a pitiful, lost child. “It was my mother’s, it’s all I have left of her. It’s… it’s gone!”

“When did you last see it?” concerned, Prince Makoto was the first to respond, checking the floor around him and even peering under the table.

“I had it on when I came into the dining hall,” he said, voice thin with worry. “Where could it possibly have gone?”

Startled by the genuine emotion in the boy’s voice, Chisato attempted to reassure him, “In that case, it must definitely be in this room. Kaoru, do you see anything?”

“No, my Lady,” Kaoru replied, her eyes already rapidly scanning the room in an attempt to locate the missing item.

The floor was mostly flat, so if it had merely fallen off his wrist, it would be plain for everyone to see. However, if it had rolled under a serving cart or tangled up in the silks of a chair, it would be a little harder to find…

“Kaoru, could you check under the chairs?” Chisato asked.

“Of course, my Lady.”

“Misaki, please help her out?” Kanon asked softly, gesturing to their side of the long table, “It would be faster if you searched one side each and met in the middle.”

Chisato directed her sister a grateful smile as the servants began their search - Misaki’s injury was faring much better, from the looks of things, and Chisato found herself wondering how such a skilled servant got hurt in the first place.

With watery eyes, Prince Akihisa watched closely as they checked under every chair, shaking out every silken fold to ensure that they did not conceal his precious bracelet. Chisato almost felt sorry for him - if it truly was the only thing he had left to remind him of his deceased mother, she sincerely hoped they would be able to return it to him as quickly as possible. While she may have a strained relationship with her own mother, Chisato knew how important family bonds could be, especially between mothers and their sons.

“Could somebody have taken it?” he whined at last, when every last chair, even the King’s, had been raised and checked.

“Who could possibly have taken your bracelet off your wrist while you were eating?” Chisato asked incredulously.

Aside from them, the only others who had entered the dining hall were the three personal servants of the Miyamoto royals, and they would have no need for the Prince’s valuables. If they wanted to steal, it would be so much easier to pinch from the bedrooms of their masters, to steal little things that would hardly be missed, because their masters placed that much trust in them. Was he accusing another royal of stealing a trinket off him; did he want to get banished from the Miyamoto kingdom?

“The one who served me was… your dog,” the Prince growled, turning toward Kaoru, and for a moment, Chisato caught a flash of twisted, angry jealousy in his eyes.

Such intense malice… had he been faking his earlier panic? Had he set this situation up, somehow placed his bracelet on Kaoru’s person? How could he have achieved that when Kaoru had spent barely a minute within arm’s length of him? And how could he have done it in a way that Kaoru would not notice?

He looked too confident for it to be a coincidence - if he had truly lost his mother’s precious bracelet, he would not be grinning darkly like that when he accused Kaoru. He would not look as if he knew the bracelet would be found on her person, as if he was just about to win a game of cards he had cheated at...

“Kaoru, come here,” she called sharply, “Let me search your pockets.”

As Kaoru obeyed, looking rather puzzled, Chisato found herself praying to the Desert that she was wrong, that she had imagined the look in Prince Akihisa’s eyes and she was not going to find anything. There was no way he would stoop so low as to kill a human being just because he was jealous, right?

Servant or not, he had to respect the basic worth of a human life, right…?


	3. Hate and Hope

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was supposed to have updated this yesterday (7/7) for Tanabata, but it completely slipped my mind. Please forgive me.

Chisato felt her heart stop as she touched something hard and cold in Kaoru’s back pocket, the genuine confusion in Kaoru’s eyes cutting deeply into her. Kaoru was not lying, she really had no idea what was going on, she was going to die because this stupid, spoiled Prince refused to think of anyone but himself…

“So, did you find it?” he prompted, leaning forward with a victorious sneer on his face. “Did that dog steal from me?”

Chisato drew the object into the palm of her hand, the other tangling in the front of Kaoru’s shirt, wishing she could draw her into her arms and take her away from this cruel world. Immediately, Kaoru understood, going deathly pale as she lowered her head, chest rumbling with what could be a bitter laugh or a choked sob.

She was doomed, and she knew it.

It would be her word against a Prince’s, and with the evidence of the bracelet in her back pocket… there was nothing Chisato could do to protect her. The Miyamoto would not risk this spoiled child throwing a giant fuss that alerted the King and Queen of Himura, they would rather make him happy and solve the issue as quietly as possible, even if it meant spilling innocent blood.

Swallowing thickly, Chisato pulled out the object, clinging on to the slim hope that it was something else, a hair clip, a brush, anything but the Prince’s missing bracelet.

No such luck.

Prince Akihisa leapt up and snatched the bracelet from her with a shout, “So that dog did steal from me!”

Chisato wanted to protest, but the icy glare from her father and Kaoru’s trembling body, pressed against her leg, shattered her resolve. Kaoru had given up, she had resigned herself to punishment the second she understood what Chisato had found. She was painfully aware of her place in the world, of the worth of her life, and had already accepted that it was worth less than that stupid boy’s pride. Her shoulders were slumped over, her forehead pressed against the floor, and Chisato was overwhelmed by the urge to scream, to cry, to beg Kaoru not to leave, not to be silent, not to accept this cruelty.

“I am very disappointed,” the King said coldly, rising to his feet, “I thought we trained our servants better than to resort to common thievery.”

“B-but, Father-”

“Silence!” Chisato flinched as he struck the table so heavily, the cutlery jumped. “We have provided your servant with more than she could hope for, the dirty dog that she is. And still, she desires more?”

Kaoru remained silent, not even bothered to try defending herself as the Prince crowed victoriously, not even bothered to put his “precious” bracelet back on. Was it truly a gift from his mother, Chisato wondered, or had he made up a story just because he could? Did he even know what consequences were - did he even consider Kaoru’s life a price, or was it so insignificant to him that he would not even bat an eyelash as he threw it away?

“Toa!”

At the sound of his name, the King’s personal servant rose to his feet, awaiting instruction.

“Take her to the third dungeon, and instruct Kano to kill her as slowly and painfully as possible.”

“Yes, my Lord.” Slowly, he made his way toward them, each and every step pounding into Chisato’s heart like a hammer.  


“F-Father!” unable to stay silent any longer, Chisato slid off her chair and wrapped her arms around Kaoru. “Please, there is no way-”

“Are you calling our guest a liar, Chisato?” his tone was dangerously cold, warning her that it would not be in her favor to say another word.

He had already made up his mind, Kaoru was guilty even if she had not done a thing because someone of a higher standing had accused her. However, if someone of a higher standing proclaimed her innocence, he would have to consider a different angle, wouldn’t he?

There had to be a way to save Kaoru, she could not just give up-

“My Lady, please let me go.”

“E-eh?” she could hardly believe her ears as Kaoru finally raised her head, those blood red eyes she loved more than anything else shining with unshed tears.

“Do not implicate yourself for a slave,” Kaoru murmured, her voice so low that she could barely hear it. “I am not worth it, my Lady.”

“Kaoru…”

“If I may, Your Majesty,” Kaoru raised her voice a little, filled with the confidence of someone who no longer had anything left to lose, “I would like to say one last thing before I go.”

“How dare you ask for anything, you thieving dog?” Prince Akihisa yelled, slamming the table with both hands and sending his wine glass crashing to the floor.

Frowning, the King made a dismissive gesture with one hand, “Granted, but make it quick.”

Turning to Chisato, she gently took her hand, an action that would have been a death wish if she were not already going to die. Ignoring the shocked gasps from their audience, Kaoru met Chisato’s eyes steadily for the first time in years, looking every bit that nervous, sweet child that Chisato had fallen for.

_ “I love you, Chi-chan.” _

“Kao-”

“Take her away!” the King interrupted, and Toa lowered his head in apology as he grabbed Kaoru by the arm.

Lowering her head again, Kaoru walked off with him with as much dignity as she could muster. Sure, she would die because of this foolish boy, but she would not allow him to take her pride as a servant, as a human being.

Tears began to fill Chisato’s eyes as Kaoru’s final words bounced around in her hollow skull. She wanted to do something, anything - say a word, return that confession, call her name - but she couldn’t, she was frozen and the entire world didn’t feel real anymore.

This couldn’t be real, she had to be dreaming, there was no way the world would be cruel enough to take Kaoru away from her…

Suddenly, the world faded to black.

 

* * *

 

“Mirei-san! Mirei-san!”

Mirei nearly dropped her washing as a young servant came barreling into her - from that wild, orange hair, it had to be Hagumi, the hyperactive daughter of the head chef.

“Hagumi, watch where you’re going!” she scolded, setting the basket down on the nearest chair to take in the girl’s appearance - wild-eyed, messy haired and chest heaving, she must have run a very long way. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s… Ka… Kaoru-kun,” she panted, grabbing on to Mirei’s sleeve with both hands, “Please, they…. They’re going to kill her!”

“What?” Mirei’s heart nearly stopped, and she resisted the urge to grab the child and furiously shake all the details from her. “What happened, where is she?”

“She stole from the Prince!” Hagumi wailed, “His Majesty wants her killed in the third dungeon by Kano-sama!”

All the blood drained from Mirei’s face - the third dungeon was informally known as the torture room by most servants, and Kano was by far the cruelest, craziest slavemaster of them all. It had to be the Prince of Himura she had allegedly stolen from to warrant such a showy, painful punishment - the younger Prince and his tiny kingdom were not important enough for such drastic measures.

However, Kano was a known drunk and was extremely sleepy with enough alcohol in him; she could use that to her advantage. If she worked fast enough, she could probably-

“Please, you-”

Before Hagumi could finish her sentence, the door to the washing room slammed open once more, revealing a disheveled, panting Crown Princess, her face streaked with tears.

“P-Princess Chisato!” carefully, Mirei checked to make sure no one had seen her before closing the door. “What are you doing in the servants’ quarters?”

“Ka… Kaoru,” she choked out, bursting into tears immediately. “She’s going to…”

Handing her a towel, Mirei said, “I know, my Lady. Under Kano-sama’s hand, so I have heard.”

Chisato nodded, clutching the towel to her chest, “Please… you have to… you have to help Kaoru…!”

Lunging forward, Chisato grabbed on to both of Mirei’s hands, her eyes burning with more emotion than she had ever remembered the cool, collected Princess showing in her life. “You’re the only one I can turn to. Please… I’ll do anything, just… save her life…”

“My Lady,” Mirei knelt, gathering the sobbing girl into her arms. “If anyone heard you, you would be in danger.”

“I don’t care!” Chisato cried out. “If Kaoru can live, I don’t care if I die!”

Mirei flinched as the girl grabbed her by the front of her shirt. It was unsettling to see her that way - this was a girl she had told bedtime stories to at night, a girl whose sheets she had washed since she was young enough to wet them, and here she was staring at her with intense, desperate eyes as if her entire world was about to end.

“It’s alright if you don’t tell me,” Chisato sobbed, “It’s alright if you let me think she’s dead - I deserve that pain. But please, please… save her…”

“Hagumi, please escort the Princess back to her room,” Mirei said coldly, her heart nearly breaking as she saw the devastated look on the young Princess’ face.

No, it was safer if she did not know what happened to Kaoru, because if the King realized that she was still alive, that Chisato had attempted to aid in a prisoner’s escape… Crown Princess or not, she would not be let off easily. It was strange, Mirei thought, how much Chisato had come to care about the person she had been trained to see as a dog, a servant, a creature that could never hope to be an equal. To risk her life for that girl, to come crying on her knees to another servant, to be willing to throw away anything and everything to save her...  


She had not quite expected that. When Mirei had been brought here, when she had offered Kaoru up as a personal slave, she would never have imagined that a member of the royal family would sacrifice so much for one of them. But, of course, even if Chisato had not asked, Mirei would have saved Kaoru anyway - it was her natural duty. She was the one who brought Kaoru into this place, forced her into this situation, and she would be the one who brought her out.

However, Chisato could not know any of that. She had to suffer, but only for now - if it worked, if there really was hope waiting for them out in the world, the two could be reunited in the distant future. As equals, as friends, as… whatever it was they wanted to be, in a world free from the Miyamoto kingdom.

 

* * *

 

 

Kaoru gritted her teeth as the whip bit into her yet again, stubbornly refusing to cry out. Over the years, her skin had thickened due to the constant beatings, but even so, it could not hope to stand against the powdered-glass coated whip that Kano favored.

That cruel bastard had always wanted to break her, ever since he first flogged her for reading, and though the King had given him the opportunity to take her life, she would not let him have the satisfaction of taking her dignity. She would stay stubborn, she would cling on to her sense of self and her pride until the last of her life bled out, no matter how much it hurt.

_ Gods above _ did it hurt.

Her head was spinning, her entire body felt like it was on fire, and every crack of the whip sent pain searing, white hot, through her brain. At this point, even if she wanted to scream, she would not be able to - her voice was trapped like a giant bubble in her throat, and it took too much effort to even breathe.

_ Crack. _

She gasped, her body straining against the chains, writhing desperately in a primal attempt to escape the pain. Blood, there was so much blood - where did the human body keep all that?

_ Crack. _

Could she even feel pain anymore? It felt as if she had no skin left for him to tear, as if her nerves had already been destroyed and she had reached some sort of peak suffering. Her mouth tasted strongly of iron, and when he paused, she found herself feebly coughing up even more blood.

_ Crack. _

This time, it sounded weaker, as if something was wrong. Bracing herself for the next hit, Kaoru waited, a sense of unease prickling in the pit of her stomach when it did not come. Was he going to break her this way, by terrorizing her with the fact that she could not tell when the next hit would come - would he make her beg for her own death?

“Kaoru!”

Someone was calling her name - a woman, she recognized, but her head was too fuzzy to think anything else. Shocked gasps, concerned cries, and suddenly her back was on fire again, knocking the air out of her lungs.

She couldn’t help it, she screamed, her knees hitting the bloodied floor as someone finally removed her shackles. They were doing something to her back, touching it all over, leaving a trail of agony that forced all the air out of her lungs. Hadn’t she already suffered enough, why were they doing this…?

“Kaoru, don’t move. I know it hurts, but it’ll help you,” the woman said urgently, and as the world slowly came back into focus, Kaoru recognized the dark red eyes peering worriedly down at her.

“Mi-Mirei… san...”

Dimly, she felt a glass of cool water pressed to her lips, bandages wrapped around her ruined torso, a shirt slung across her aching shoulders. What the hell…?

“Why…” her voice was dry and raspy, and she cleared her throat before trying again. “Why are you helping me?”

“Two reasons, sweet child,” Mirei replied, gently brushing Kaoru’s sweat-slick bangs from her eyes. “Firstly, your Princess came to me in tears, to beg that I save your life.”

“My La-” she paused and corrected herself, “Chisato did?”

Mirei nodded, but before she could say a word, a passageway opened in the back of the room, and in came Misaki, dragging a bloodied corpse in a torn personal slave uniform.

“Thank you, Misaki,” Mirei said as she dropped the body next to them, “Who would’ve thought that your fight with that stupid boy would come in handy?”

Misaki smiled thinly, averting her eyes from Kaoru as much as possible. “It is my pleasure to help, Mirei-san.”

“Wait,” she called out as Misaki made to leave, “Stay. My second reason… involves something important to the both of you.”

Kaoru sat up, ignoring the sharp pain that twisted through her body at the movement. The corpse next to her had hair the same color as her own, though it’s eyes, wide-open and rolled back, were a dark green, and it was evidently a boy’s. However, Kano had a penchant for burning the faces of his victims and mutilating their genitals beyond recognition, so… the corpse’s hair color and body size would be all that mattered.

“It is a long story,” Mirei sighed suddenly, gesturing to Misaki to draw closer. She was obviously struggling to say it, wondering how she should put her thoughts into words, and Kaoru tried her best to clear the fog of pain in her head as she waited.

“Kaoru, your true identity is the Crown Princess of the kingdom of the Golden Desert. And Misaki… you are her cousin, the only daughter of the Third Prince of the Golden Desert.”

Wait…  _ what? _

Was she hearing things right, or had the pain driven her delirious? Crown Princess of the Golden Desert, her…?

Misaki looked equally horrified, staring down at her hands and up at Mirei in confused silence. It seemed that Kaoru hadn’t misheard… but how could it be true? The Golden Desert had been destroyed, its people wiped out and its lands taken over by the Miyamoto kingdom shortly after Kaoru had been born. If she were its heir, there would be no way the King would have allowed her to live!

“I know it’s hard to believe, but,” Mirei knelt before her, meeting her eyes squarely, “I am the last Queen of the Golden Desert, and your mother.”

“My… mother…?” Kaoru croaked, struggling to wrap her head around what those words meant. “I… what…?”

“When you were a baby, the Miyamoto kingdom staged an invasion on the weakened Desert. Thoroughly defeated, I watched as he killed your father and brother, as the servants in the hall were beheaded on their knees, as…” she choked, burying her head in her hands. It took her a long moment to compose herself before she could continue. “Finally, his soldiers brought out the two babies of the castle. You, my sweet Princess, and your cousin Misaki.”

Eyes wide with disbelief, Misaki yelped, “Y-you have to be mista-”

“I am not,” Mirei interrupted, looking up at them again. “He was going to kill us all, so I begged him… I promised him anything as long as he would show mercy.”

Kaoru gulped, her hands starting to tremble. There was no way this could be true, there was no way that she was a disgraced Princess doomed by her mother’s hand…

What mother would condemn a child - two children - to a life such as this? What mother would willingly force her child into slavery, especially to the tyrant that murdered her husband and son, the man who ordered the destruction of her entire kingdom?

“He agreed, on the condition that the three of us become servants in his castle, and the two of you personal slaves to his children. That way, he would ensure not only the shattering of our pride, but the end of our bloodline.” Mirei paused, shaking her head. “And, well, you know what answer I gave him.”

“You…” Kaoru’s head was reeling for more reasons than one, and Misaki looked just as shocked and confused as she did.

They were… the remnants of a kingdom that had supposedly been wiped from the planet? The last survivors of a shattered royal family, kept alive as prisoners of war?

“It can’t be,” Misaki said stubbornly, shaking her head furiously. “I am a servant, I couldn’t possibly be a noble…!”

“So…” Kaoru stared down at her bloodied hands, “I could… I could have avoided all this suffering…?”

Confused and concerned, Mirei called her name, hesitantly reaching out for her because there was barely anywhere to touch that was not covered in blood and open wounds.

“So everything that I’ve gone through… all my pain… could have been avoided?” Kaoru clenched her fists, hot and angry tears rolling down her cheeks. “You...… You should have just kept your head high and let us die!”

“Kaoru-san!” Misaki cried out, reaching out as if to strike her. “What are you saying?”

“No, don’t,” Mirei cut in, kneeling down by Kaoru’s side. “I’m sorry… I didn’t know that it would turn out this way, I just… it was the only choice I could make. There was just... too much… weighing on it…”

Pulling Misaki closer, Mirei took each girl’s hand, meeting their eyes in turn, “It wasn’t just our lives that were on the line. The King was going to exterminate every last citizen of our kingdom.”

“W-what?” Misaki squeaked, jumping to her feet. “How could he!? How… how many lives…”

“At least six thousand,” Mirei nodded in acknowledgment, “But he had already killed tens of thousands in his invasion. Soldiers, civilians, children, the elderly, the sick and injured… he saw no distinction.”

Kaoru paled, “That’s…”

There was no words for how horrifying that was, and Kaoru instantly felt guilt welling up in her chest at how quickly she had judged this woman - this Queen, this… this woman who was supposedly her own mother and the only family she had left in the world. Yes, she had invited a cruel fate upon two helpless, innocent children, but if what she said was true, it had brought salvation to thousands of others. Logically, it was a worthwhile tradeoff, even if the suffering they had to endure was beyond measure.

“The magic of the Desert retreated, but the death of it spread all over Miyamoto, as if she were taking revenge for the sake of her people,” Mirei explained, “She promised us that when her Chosen came of age, they would lead us to glory and reclaim what was ours.”

“That Chosen, Kaoru, is you.”

 

* * *

 

 

Misaki smiled faintly as Kaoru - her cousin, and her Crown Princess - finally found the strength to get on her feet. It was difficult to wrap her head around the bomb that had just been dropped on them, but… she was relieved that Kaoru was going to escape with her life. They were fellow servants, fellow survivors, and though Misaki barely knew her, that was enough for her to long for her happiness.

“If you find our people, they will rally around you,” Mirei had told them, “Misaki, you can go with her if you like, abandon this horrible life of servitude and return to where you rightfully belong.”

Without a moment’s hesitation, she had replied, “Thank you, Your Highness, but I intend to stay. Someone… has to keep an eye on the Princesses.”

“I could-”

Shaking her head, Misaki said, “Being the only trained personal servant left, they would automatically assign Princess Chisato to me. Kaoru… I can try watching over her for you until you return.”

“Would you… let her know that I’ll come back?” Kaoru asked, looking like a nervous schoolboy with a giant crush, unsure if his planned confession was going to go well.

Misaki nodded, “If I see a safe opening, I will. Princess Kanon does not want to wed her assigned Prince, either. We could… we could help them escape.”

Of course, that was the real reason Misaki was staying behind. She did not care about dignity or honor or royalty, what truly mattered to her was being able to support her Princess. If Kaoru was truly the Crown Princess of the kingdom and the Chosen of the Golden Desert, she would not need any help rallying their people to their cause - it was a job that only Kaoru could do. Misaki wasn’t necessary to that plan’s success.

However, here in the castle, there was no one but Misaki who could serve Kanon. No one but Misaki could support her, encourage her, protect her - she was too quiet and obedient for her own good, having disappeared under the overbearing attitude of her mother. She accepted what was asked for her with meek silence, too afraid to ever voice her opinion or disatisfaction, regardless of how badly it might cost her.

And, if Kaoru was going to help her free Kanon from the shackles of her royal duty, then it was the least she could do to extend her care and abilities over Kaoru’s beloved Princess.

“Don’t give up on hope yet,” Mirei had told them, “All is not yet over. Do not give in to death so easily!”

Stupid and idealistic as those words may be, Misaki wanted to believe in them. Maybe, maybe that foolish Prince had just arranged his own downfall. Maybe, he had just written them a way out with his jealousy and selfishness…

“Misaki, could you please get O-nee-sama a glass of water?” Kanon’s voice drew her from her thoughts, and Misaki bowed obediently as she took a quick glance at Chisato.

She was an absolute mess, red-eyed and messy haired, but she was no longer crying. When the ruined corpse of “Kaoru” had been brought out to them in the morning, Chisato had been completely empty, as if the light in her eyes had been extinguished in one fell swoop. It was almost painful to see her that way - even if Misaki had only known her at a great distance, the Crown Princess of the Miyamoto had always been a sight to behold. There was an aura about her, of grace and dignity and ice that concealed a warm heart and gentle laughter that Misaki had overheard, early in the mornings, when she passed by one of their many secret bases while running errands for Kanon.

Unfortunately, it had basically vanished overnight, leaving behind a shell of her former self that would not raise her head nor speak. For the past few hours, they had been seated in Kanon’s private study in awkward silence, Chisato staring off into the distance as her sister tried in vain to speak to her.

The accursed Prince of Himura had insisted on sticking around to “check on her”, as if he really cared about her wellbeing, which prevented Misaki from reassuring her that Kaoru was alive. Or, well, most likely alive, since she had plunged into the desert wounded and alone with nothing but the clothes on her back.

If Mirei had been delusional or something, Kaoru would be dead anyway, so she should probably wait for some sort of sign that she had found the remains of the shattered Golden Desert… Or she could just let the Princess know that they had helped Kaoru escape, though she had no idea how much comfort the idea of her precious servant wandering the desert, injured and alone, would be to Chisato.

When she returned to the room, the Prince had mercifully been driven off, and Kanon thanked her with a warm smile as she set the cup by Chisato’s side. Her eyes were still completely glazed over, hollow and unfocused - it was absolutely heartbreaking to see.

Once she had ensured they were alone, Misaki got on one knee, unsure how exactly to behave around Chisato. She wasn’t Kaoru, so there was no way she could treat her in a friendly manner the way she did Kanon, so she decided to stick to protocol and behave like any ordinary house servant.

“My Lady, if I may speak honestly.”

Chisato stared on blankly, as if she had not heard a word, and Kanon nervously reached for her sister’s shoulder.

“O-nee-sama…?” Kanon called, shaking her shoulder carefully, “O-nee-sama? Can you hear me?”

Chisato blinked, as if coming out of a deep trance, “ _ Ara _ , Kanon, did you say something?”

“Misaki-chan did,” Kanon responded, gesturing to her to speak.

Misaki nodded with a grateful smile, lowering her head respectfully as she regarded the elder Princess, “It is about Kaoru-san, my Lady.”

“About… Kaoru?” both Princesses looked equally confused, but there was a light of hope in Chisato’s eyes that immediately told Misaki the truth: this Princess was just as enamored with her servant as her servant was with her.

Leaning forward, Misaki lowered her voice so that it would be inaudible even if someone were to be standing right outside the room door, ears pressed to the wood. It was important that no one else know about what they had done, or Kaoru’s plan for vengeance might be met with more resistance than it could handle.

“That corpse you saw this morning, it does not belong to Kaoru-san.”

Chisato’s eyes widened, her hands flying to her mouth in shock. “Did… Mirei…”

“We planted a fake body,” Misaki confirmed, “and she escaped into the desert.”

“But… she’s hurt and alone, how would she survive?” Chisato panicked, reaching out to grab Misaki by the shoulders, “I have to help her. Where is she, how long has she been outside?”

“She promised to come back for you,” Misaki said, taking the risk and grabbing onto the Princess’ arms. She could not allow Chisato to chase Kaoru across the desert - she would die, for one, and the King would go ballistic if his Crown Princess was to go missing. “Please, trust in her. Trust in us. There are certain things we cannot tell you both yet, but…”

She trailed off, wondering how exactly she should finish her sentence. If they wished it, they could always escape the castle, she supposed, join Kaoru in the desert as they planned their attack on the Miyamoto kingdom. It would probably be safer than waiting in the castle; if Kaoru and whatever remained of their kingdom marched in the castle to battle, they would risk getting caught up in the crossfire…

“Misaki.” There was a fire in Chisato’s eyes again, tempered by concern and fear but still burning strong.

“Yes, my Lady?”

_ “Thank you.” _


	4. Homecoming

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for updating late! I was going to update sooner, but AO3 lost my entire document and I just gave up on hope...  
> I may be moving to another house soon, which would result in a longer wait. I hope for your understanding and forgiveness. This chapter was supposed to be longer, but I couldn't recover that final part so... I'll put it in a separate chapter when I rewrite it.
> 
> If you are impatient, I may write smaller, short one-shots on Tumblr during my free time. Feel free to find them there, give me suggestions or even to just message me about KaoChisa @megapieceoftrash! I am reasonably friendly. I think.

How long had she been walking? Kaoru could no longer tell, the heat of the desert was making her head spin and she felt so tired, so heavy, so… hopeless.

Had Mirei told her the truth, or had she made everything up, had she been some crazy, delusional slave who made herself a grand story to cope with the harshness of life in the castle? Kaoru had been walking for ages, and there was still no sign of golden sand, no whispered guidance from the wind that she had been told to expect. Her body was on the verge of giving up from sheer exhaustion, her vision swimming in and out of focus with every step, and she was pretty sure she was about to die. Despite that, she felt at ease out in the desert, as light as the wind itself, though it could simply be due to blood loss and dehydration...

Just as she was about to collapse, Kaoru heard the sound of voices in the distance. Startled, she looked up only to find… that the sand around her was golden, shining brighter than the sun, and a gentle wind was combing fingers through her sweat-slicked hair.

This was it. She could feel it in her bones, her blood was singing; this was the home she had been denied all her life. The legendary Golden Desert, of which she was supposedly heir and savior.

Stumbling forward, Kaoru dropped to her knees just as people ran up to her, surrounding her with equal mixture of concern and suspicion. They wore loose, light robes against the heat and carried curved swords at their sides - warriors, she supposed, or guards against hostile trespassers.

“Who are you?”

Kaoru couldn’t respond, her eyelids were heavy, her throat was dry, her head was spinning and she could hardly breathe. Her consciousness seemed to be blurring at the edges, the wind was stroking the back of her head like Chisato used to, and all she wanted to do was fall asleep.

“By the wind, look at all that blood!”

“Who harmed you, friend? Are they still after you?”

“Wait, look at her eyes!”

“They’re… red!?”

From that point on, all their voices just blurred together into one, disorientating noise, and the last thing Kaoru remembered was collapsing into surprisingly cool and soft sand, the wind running over her clammy forehead like a mother’s tender hand, comforting her into the darkness.

_Welcome home._

 

* * *

 

 

When Kaoru came to, she was lying in a soft, warm bed in what looked like a real silk tent, her wounds bandaged and most of her pain already gone. On the table beside her was a glass of water and some fruit, so fresh she could hardly believe it was real, and the floors were covered in plush velvet carpets, layered thickly over each other so one could not see the floor.

It was difficult to believe such luxury existed in the middle of the desert, that such luxury would be so easily accorded to a wounded stranger one stumbled upon in the wilderness. Unsure what to do, Kaoru sat up and looked around for someone, anyone, to seek orders from. This was surely the room of a royal, or a general, someone of high ranking, and she was going to be questioned about her mysterious appearance. Maybe that was why they afforded her such luxury, to put her at ease before she was interrogated...

The sound of voices drawing closer made her tense, and it took all her effort not to sink to her knees before they entered. She was not a servant here, she did not need to act like one - unless they so demanded it.

It was a man and a woman, both with long green hair and golden eyes, so similar that they could only be twins. The man wore his up in a high ponytail, while the woman had hers mostly loose, with the sides braided and drawn around her head like a crown - the hairstyle of nobility. Her guess might not have been too far off the mark, she supposed, unless the hairstyle meant something else outside of the Miyamoto kingdom.

Would it be safer to bow? Nervously, Kaoru slipped out of bed and onto one knee - angering yet another member of the upper class was not something she wanted to do in this state.

“Ah!” the man rushed to her side immediately, worry written all over his face, “It may still be too soon to move!”

Kaoru flinched as he touched her shoulder, “M-my apologies-”

“There is no need to apologize,” the woman said kindly, frowning when she noticed the untouched food. “Is this not to your liking? Shall we have something else brought in? You need to eat to recover.”

“N-no, everything is fine,” Kaoru replied, startled; had such rare and rich food really been set aside for her, a complete stranger? “I did not know if it was… acceptable... for me to eat.”

Confusion flickered through their faces at her choice of words, and Kaoru nearly slapped herself. She had not intended to imply the food was beneath her, or that her saviors might have attempted to harm her with it, but she had, hadn’t she? Fool - this was why a servant did not speak often, because speaking was best done by people who were capable of thinking and choosing their words with grace and intelligence…

“If we may ask,” the man’s voice broke her from her thoughts, “Who are you?”

“Suzuho,” the woman chided, “One does not ask for another’s name without first giving their own.”

Turning to Kaoru, she bowed politely, “Pardon my brother’s behavior. My name is Hikaze Kiho, and this is my younger twin brother, Suzuho. We are the last living healers of the Golden Desert.”

Healers? Ah, that would explain the man’s concern - her wounds were pretty severe, and no healer liked seeing their patient up and about before they deemed it acceptable. They could usually be trusted, even in the Miyamoto kingdom, because healers seemed to be the most human of all.

“My name is Seta Kaoru,” she bowed automatically, the words flowing out of her before she could think them, “Servant of the Crown Princess of Miyamoto.”

The twins exchanged silent looks for a long, tense moment, and Kaoru realized a little belatedly that claiming servitude to the kingdom that was most likely their enemy would not endear herself to them. Could she explain, you know, tell them about what Mirei had told her before she plunged into the desert? Would they allow her to, or would they throw her out on her ass just for mentioning the kingdom that had massacred their people?

“Do the Miyamoto often leave injured servants wandering in the desert alone?” It was Suzuho who spoke first, his tone so icy that it seemed to suck the warmth out of the tent.

Kaoru shook her head, laughing bitterly, “I… I had been sentenced to the most painful death possible by a Prince’s jealousy. To save my life, Mi…... my mother sent me out into the desert.”

“Your mother?” Kiho asked, leaning closer.

“Her name is Mirei,” Kaoru replied, slowly raising her head so that she could observe their response. “She told me she was my mother, and the Queen of the Golden Desert, just before I fled.”

A mixture of shock, joy and horror spread across their faces like drops of ink in water - the twins were evidently open books, not even trying to conceal their feelings. It was unsettling to see - in the Miyamoto kingdom, everyone had to build a wall to hide their true heart from others, it was a necessary safety precaution to keep from being hurt and betrayed.

“I knew it,” it was Kiho who recovered first, jumping up and down on the spot like an excited child. “You have the red eyes of the royal family, my Lady.”

It felt wrong, hearing someone use that title to refer to her, and she raised her hands awkwardly as she said, “I am no Lady… I was raised a servant…”

Almost immediately, that joy was tainted by sorrow, the twins exchanging guilty glances before staring at the floor. Did they know, Kaoru wondered, of the choice that Mirei had made, of the fate that had befallen their royalty to grant them the limited peace and land that they had now? Was that why they looked like that, as if they thought accepting the sacrifice of their royal family was their fault?

“We’re sorry,” Suzuho said at last, “We know of the sacrifice our Queen made to save our lives, and we feel awful about it.”

“Please, do not be,” Kaoru raised her hands with a nervous smile, instinctively trying to reassure them, “Is it not the duty of the royal family to protect the people?”

Hesitantly, Kiho asked, “Do you… not resent it, resent us?”

Kaoru paused - did she resent them? Sure, her life had been terrible, beneath her clothes were scars that would never fade, and the shadows of what she had endured haunted her incessantly, but… there had been good times, too, so deeply entangled with the bad that she could hardly separate them.

She remembered the nights after her beatings, when she was sore and quiet and afraid, where Chisato would insist Kaoru sleep in her bed and stroke her head until she fell asleep. She remembered the secret little world they had, huddled under the sheets with a lamp, Kaoru freaking out that they might set the bed on fire if they weren’t careful. She remembered when Chisato insisted on feeding her for days after she had been whipped for reading, tending to her every need from raising her glass to buttoning her shirts. She remembered Chisato planning that surprise birthday party for her, when she turned seven; she remembered having cake smeared across her face and frosting all over the floor. She recalled being made to run in the desert with rocks on her back as punishment for dirtying the royal bedroom afterward. She remembered the slave masters that went out of their way to pick on her because they hated how close she was to their Princess, the burning agony of their beatings, of being shut away in a small, dark cellar, forced to stand for days in chest-deep, ice cold water, made to do her daily duties without food for five days...

She remembered many things, both good and bad, that could have been avoided if she had not been born their Princess.

“I do,” she admitted, a faraway look on her face, “There is a little part of me that resents you, that resents my mother, but…”

She remembered running her fingers through Chisato’s hair, laughing with Chisato as they read stupid books, watching the sunrise with Chisato’s head on her shoulder, relaxing in the gardens with Chisato’s head on her lap, crying in Chisato’s arms when she got frightened or discouraged, as she had been easily when she was a child…

Kaoru would not change any of it, not for the world, not for a peaceful childhood nor a life without suffering, because life could not possibly be worth living if Chisato were not in it. She would endure what she had, and a thousand times worse, if it meant being able to grow up by Chisato’s side.

“If I hadn’t become a personal servant, I would never have known Chisato the way I do. And I would endure anything… absolutely anything, to love her the way I do.”

The smiles on their faces were pained - what she said had touched them, evidently, but it had not completely relieved them of their guilt. Fools… what was the point of feeling sorry?

The good came with the bad, was that not how life worked? They could be as awkwardly silent as they liked, they could feel so guilty it was as if they bore the weight of the entire world on their backs, but nothing was going to change what Kaoru had gone through, what Misaki had endured, what Mirei had been forced to swallow.

It was too late to regret.

“Wait,” Kiho finally spat out, wringing her hands nervously, “You said that your mother, our Queen, saved your life. Does that mean she is still alive?”

Kaoru nodded. “She is, and she is also a servant of the castle.”

“If they treat servants the way that you were…” Kiho trailed off, all the blood having drained from her already pale face.

Resting a hand on her shoulder, her brother said, “Do not worry, elder sister. Our Queen is alive, and we will save her.”

Turning to Kaoru, he added, “Is that not why you came to us? You must be… you must be the Chosen of the Desert, here to lead us to reclaim what was rightfully ours.”

She hesitated - sure, that had been Mirei’s idea, but it sounded far more noble than her intentions truly were. She just wanted to return to Chisato, to save her from what would be a disastrous marriage to a spoiled, selfish boy. The Miyamoto kingdom, the kingdom of the Golden Desert, the fate of her own mother and people… Kaoru could not possibly care less about those things. If helping the devil himself would benefit Chisato, then Kaoru would gladly sell her soul.

“I… don’t know if I am your Chosen One,” she admitted, looking down at the ground - had she not almost died trying to find them? “But I want to try fighting anyway, because there is someone important to me I must help.”

Kiho relaxed, giving Kaoru a gentle, reassuring smile as she replied, “You most likely are. You could enter the Desert of your own will, without a guide, and the wind guided our patrol miles off their usual route to receive you. It must mean that the Desert smiles fondly upon you, my Lady.”

Stunned, Kaoru could only stare at her in silent confusion - was that what the wind had been doing; guiding her steps and steering her to safety? The gentle wind through her hair, comforting her as she lay in impossibly soft sand, had that not been a side effect of blood loss and dehydration mixed together?

“I am sure, if you have ever been out in the desert, that there were other clues,” Suzuho added, nudging a glass of water toward her. “However, your body is still injured. Drink, and rest - there will be time to think and to fight.”

With that, the twins left the tent, leaving Kaoru alone with her thoughts.

Other clues, huh? Like the time Chisato had wandered into the desert, a foolish child hypnotized by the beautiful music of Kaoru’s homeland, nearly getting herself killed in the process? It was the wind that had guided Kaoru to her, and the wind that guided them home - it had whispered directions in Kaoru’s ear, it had cooled her aching head and brought them to water along their journey, though she had just chalked it up to plain, dumb luck.

Had the desert already been protecting her, all those years ago, when she was still shorter than Chisato, afraid of the dark and quick to cry?

What made the Desert choose her, was it merely because she was the last descendant of the King that remained alive? Had it chosen her from the moment she was born, or had it chosen her when her kingdom came to a bloody end beneath the blades of foreigners?

Regardless, it was her duty now, to avenge her father, her family, her people - but would that make her as bad as the King of Miyamoto? If she just marched into his castle and disposed of his family, his guards, his soldiers?

No, she would not be like him, she would offer mercy where she could, she would definitely not be like him. After all, she was in love with his daughter - there was no way she would kill Chisato, even if she saw her as an enemy once the truth came to light. The only life she would surely take, no - no, even that accursed Prince was not someone she would kill. If he would go quietly, she would send him home, without any pointless bloodshed.

Even if part of her wanted to wring his neck, flay his skin and hang him from the ceiling to bleed dry.

Seta Kaoru would not be a monster, no matter how much she wanted to.

 

* * *

 

 

Over and over again, Misaki turned the strange little token in her hand - the royal crest of her fallen homeland, that had come accompanied by a written note from Kaoru.

The ink had been gold, as if it had been made out of the desert’s magical sand, Kaoru’s handwriting neat and blocky like a child’s. Misaki could barely read it - she had not dared to try learning, and after what happened to young Kaoru, was rather relieved that she did not. Mirei, however, could read, and had told her the message - Kaoru was safe, her wounds had been tended to, and she had convinced their people to march on Miyamoto when the time came.

However, she was worried about the Princesses getting caught in the crossfire, and hoped that during the night of the new moon, in three days, they could meet her outside the castle and escape to safety before the battle began. And finally, she had asked them to convey her sincerest apologies to Chisato, for having failed in her duty as a servant by leaving her side, and for possibly becoming an enemy.

“I will send our response,” Mirei had said, pressing the token into Misaki’s hand, “The wind is harder to catch than a messenger. But first, you must go to the Princesses and ask their opinion.”

That was what Misaki was doing, now, waiting impatiently for that accursed Crown Prince Akihisa to leave the room so that she could speak to them privately. Chisato was a remarkable actress, Misaki had quickly discovered - whenever anyone else was around, she pretended to be that same, hollow shell of a girl that had existed when she thought Kaoru was dead, refusing to speak, eat or acknowledge anything.

It was rather terrifying, how she could almost gouge out her insides on command, but it did help keep their secret remarkably well. No one would suspect that Kaoru was alive, that the Princess knew that she had escaped, because she behaved as if the sun itself had been shot out of the sky. She looked as if someone had ripped the stars from her eyes and drained the blood from her veins, leaving her pale, shaky and hollow-eyed.

Unfortunately, that gave the Prince the excuse of lingering around due to his “concern for his future wife”, being an annoying, bumbling thorn in Misaki’s side.

It was pitiful, really, the boy had no clue how to comfort a grieving person - he seemed to only know to talk about himself and his riches. He kept trying to promise Chisato new servants, as many as she wished for, as if Kaoru were an existence so easily replaced.

“Money is no issue,” he told her, as if it would have brought her any comfort. “We can bring in the most exotic slaves from across the world if it would please you.”

Exotic, huh? He probably used that word because of Kaoru’s hair and eye color - evidently, red eyes were a mark of those the Desert approved for the throne, while purple hair was a trait found only in the people from the kingdoms to the East. The Miyamoto were considered a Southern people, and though the Golden Desert was technically more Southern than Eastern, their lineage and history traced back to ancient Eastern civilization.

Trying not to groan, Misaki leaned against the side of Kanon’s chair, a sigh of bliss nearly escaping her when Kanon began to stroke the back of her head. Her Princess could always tell when she was agitated, and knew just what to do to make it all melt away. Unfortunately, the mild-mannered, sweet, easily-frightened thing that Kanon was prevented her from speaking her mind honestly, especially when someone was being a goddamned nuisance and far-outstaying his welcome.

If only Misaki could speak in her place... but she could not in this case, because he was a Crown Prince and the guest of a royal that outranked Kanon. The Princess would have to find her own tongue, all Misaki could do was try to offer comfort and support until she got there.

“E-excuse me,” Kanon finally spoke up, nervous and hesitant, “It is... getting l-late. O-nee-sama and I would... We would like to retire for the night...”

The Prince frowned, obviously not pleased by his lack of progress in getting to Chisato, but decided to nod in agreement. Pressuring a lady when she was tired and wanted to rest was not the most gentlemanly of actions, and fortunately, he seemed aware of that at the very least.

“Of course,” he said, looking at Misaki expectantly, as if she were supposed to serve him, too. “I shall be on my way. Have a good night, my Ladies.”

For a few too many moments, he just stood there, staring at the door and waiting for it to be opened for him. Misaki watched, expressionless but amused, as he slowly came to realize that she would not rise, and that Kanon would not give her the order to serve him.

With a growl, he flung the door open himself, stalking out like a child throwing a temper tantrum. Misaki had to bite back a laugh - how old was this boy, behaving like a pampered toddler who had been denied extra dessert? Why did the Himura kingdom allow him to continue being this way, poorly behaved and with his foot in his mouth more often than not? Did they want him to get his tongue cut off? Perhaps they preferred the next in line to the throne, but could only dispose of this childish boy by having someone else cut off his head...

The moment the Prince’s footsteps stopped echoing down the hall, Chisato’s eyes were alert once more, sharp and bright like the edge of a carefully polished blade. Misaki swallowed back the lump of fear and awe in her chest at the sight - Chisato was not her enemy, and that blade was not pointed at her.

“Misaki, what news has Kaoru delivered?” It seemed that Chisato had managed to read the impatience in her body language, much to Misaki’s surprise.

How did she manage to read someone who was basically a stranger when she was acting glassy-eyed and heartbroken, as if her head was stuffed with cotton wool and her ears locked away at the bottom of the ocean? She was a dangerous girl, Misaki thought, more skillful than anyone would expect a Princess to be.

Bowing, she leaned forward, presenting the little token in the palms of her cupped hands, “Kaoru-san left us a message, along with this token.”

Gingerly, Chisato picked it up as if it were the most precious, fragile thing in the world, a small frown tugging at the edges of her lips as she said, “This is the royal crest of the Golden Desert, is it not?”

“It is,” Misaki nodded, taking a deep breath to steady herself. “My Princess, Crown Princess Chisato, do you wish to escape from the marriages that the King has arranged for you?”

“Of course,” they replied in unison, almost indignantly, as if they were offended that Misaki would think, even for a second, that they were willing to marry a random man chosen for them by their father.

Relieved, Misaki lowered her voice even further - it could not hurt to be too careful, after all, “Mirei-san has been hiding a great secret, my Ladies. Kaoru-san… is the Crown Princess and heir to the throne of the Golden Desert.”

 

* * *

 

 

Chisato could hardly believe her ears - for all these years, Mirei had been hiding such a great secret from them, pretending that the Golden Desert had been destroyed and none of its people remained, pretending that Kaoru was but another servant girl in the palace instead of the Princess that she truly was. For all these years, Kaoru had been suffering, all because of the actions of a cruel King and a desperate Queen.

She had always known that her father was not quite a good man - the atmosphere in the castle, his selfishness and his disregard for the humanity of his slaves made that clear. However, she had honestly not expected… that he would be cruel enough to force Mirei to make the choice she had, to ruin Kaoru and Misaki’s lives the way he did.

It seemed, though, that his cruelty would come back to bite him. Kaoru was with her people, she had managed to convince them to march upon the Miyamoto, and everything he had built would soon come to an end.

Regardless of what Kaoru desired, Chisato would support her, would give her whatever she could. If it was her father’s life she wanted, she would have it, and if it were her own life Kaoru do wished for… it would be her own life she would gladly give.

“She wishes to help you escape, if you so desire it, my Lady,” Misaki spoke to her specifically, because she knew Kanon well enough to be sure of her desires without asking. “And, she asks that we confer her sincerest apologies to you, for having been an enemy to you for so long.”

“An enemy to me?” Chisato repeated incredulously, “Kaoru has always been my closest ally.”

Misaki smiled faintly, “I assume she is thinking about her bloodline, my Lady. Returning to them has put her on the side of your father’s enemy.”

“Idiot,” Chisato huffed, “It doesn’t matter where she stands, Kaoru could never be my enemy.”

“I am sure you can tell her that yourself, my Lady,” Misaki said, obviously trying to bite back a grin. “In three days, on the night of the new moon, Kaoru-san plans to meet us in the desert outside the kingdom, to take us to her people. She wants to know if this would be agreeable to you, my Princesses.”

“Of course,” Chisato replied immediately, without a moment’s hesitation.

What a fool she would be, to give up any chance of reuniting with her beloved Kaoru. Even if she could only catch a glimpse of her, she desperately longed to confirm Kaoru’s safety with her own eyes. What she would not give for that opportunity...

“I would go anywhere with you, Misaki,” Kanon replied, the smile on her face so soft, so gentle, so… _frightened_ , that it broke Chisato’s heart.

Kanon wanted a happy ending with Misaki, but there was a part of her that knew it was unlikely, a part of her that had been shaken watching what Kaoru and Chisato had been forced to endure. Kanon was hesitant to believe in this new hope, because she knew she was a coward and a weakling and would not be strong or angry enough to fight.

She was a lot like the Prince that had been assigned to her, Chisato reflected, quick to surrender after years of being forced to play second-fiddle. Kanon would wilt at the mere threat of heat, would flee before danger even presented itself, because that was how she had been trained to live. She was aware of her own shortcomings, but... would she be strong enough to overcome them? The doubt of it plagued her, and it was clear to everyone in the room just how badly shaken she was.

Misaki smiled, almost sadly, “And I would go anywhere with you, my Lady. From the fires of hell to the gardens of Babylon.”

Well said, Chisato thought, for who knew what lay waiting for them? Would it be the depths of despair or the heights of joy? No one knew for sure, but... whatever happened, they would not be separated. Kanon and Misaki, Chisato and Kaoru, they had been tied together, tangled so deeply that it was impossible to have one without the other.

For now, though, she would have to put her mask back on and get ready to return to her quarters. Despite the drama of the last few days, the feud between their mothers had not come to any sort of end. It was an insult to the Queen that her daughter was spending most of her days in the room of a bastard child, served by said bastard’s servant, and it was all she was willing to endure. Chisato would have to stumble her way to her room every night, guided by whatever servant was handy since she no longer had Kaoru handy.

Tonight, the servant waiting outside the door was a tall young woman with long red hair and dark, almost sea-green eyes, a girl who gave off a strikingly similar air to Kaoru. It was no coincidence that she had been chosen to serve Chisato - it was likely that this girl was someone in the castle, most likely the Prince’s, attempt at a replacement.

“My Lady.” Still, it was not the poor girl’s fault that she had been dragged into this, and Chisato mutely allowed her to take her hand. “My name is Udagawa Tomoe, from the Taira kingdom. The great Prince Akihisa has bought me to serve your every desire.”

Taira, huh? That was an awfully long way away - the Taira kingdom was beyond the Hikawa Mountains, and it took two months on horseback just to get to them. Climbing them would take another two or three, and then getting to the kingdom itself another month at least. A member of that kingdom was a rare sight so far South, servant or not - he must have paid quite a hefty price for this girl.

Did he think her heart was so easily bought, that she would fall swooning into the arms of the nearest tomboy? Did he really think that the bond she’d shared with Kaoru was worth so little, that pretty green eyes could make her forget all those years, all those adventures and smiles and tears?

They would get through this, they would be reunited outside of the walls of this accursed kingdom, and when that happened… when that finally happened, Chisato could tell Kaoru how she truly felt. Not as a Crown Princess to her servant, not even as one Crown Princess to another, but as Shirasagi Chisato to Seta Kaoru, an ordinary girl struggling with an ordinary love.

What would Kaoru say then? Would she want nothing to do with Chisato, with the remnants of the royal family of the kingdom that had destroyed her own? Chisato would not be able to blame her - it was a horrible legacy she had, shadows of blood and fire. It was not unreasonable for Kaoru to long to shake free from as much as she could - the Miyamoto kingdom had already left its marks, deep in her skin and her land and the hearts of her people. After all that, letting Chisato into her heart might be something Kaoru would never be ready to do.

But even so…

Chisato would love her. Even if she had to love her from afar, even if she were thrown into exile and forced to live a hermit’s life in the desert, she would love Kaoru. It was the only thing that would never change, no matter how much the world heaved beneath them and tossed them to the mercy of the storm; Shirasagi Chisato would always love Seta Kaoru.

In this world, in the next, and in the countless worlds yet to come.


	5. The Flames of Devotion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I rushed this out in honor of the Romeo and Juliet event being released (soon?) on EN!  
> It's the part that was supposed to finish off Chapter 4, so... it's short and kind of weird but... I hope you enjoy it!

It was an almost perfect night for a daring escape - there was no moon in the sky, the desert winds lashing against the castle in ghostly wails that would cover up any stray sounds. Of course, that made it a little too dark to see - starlight could only offer so much, but lighting a torch or lamp would be a dead giveaway.

Hence, Kanon, Misaki and Chisato found themselves crawling along the outer wall, feeling the way with their hands, to the place where Kaoru was waiting for them. Just outside the final wall, she had promised, she would conceal herself in an illusion and wait.

Unfortunately, Kaoru’s illusion magic only worked in the desert itself, as her powers came from the Desert and were bound by its borders. She could not cloak them until they had set foot into it, meaning they had to dodge guards and avoid other, less trustworthy servants as they fled the castle. Fortunately, servants of the Miyamoto used a maze of hidden passages to get around unseen while doing their work, and personal servants like Misaki had exclusive access to a number of shorter, more direct passages that helped them get about faster.

It was thanks to those passages that they had made it past the inner wall in record time, unseen and unheard. Each personal servant had access to a hallway that lead from their master’s room directly to the kitchen, which no one else could use, and Kaoru had left her key with Misaki when she escaped. If not for that, Chisato would have had to make a risky trip to Kanon’s room to access the passage, for as a Princess, she could not simply waltz into the kitchen without causing a commotion.

“In here,” Misaki whispered, pulling open yet another secret door and ushering the Princesses into a pitch dark hallway, “Please wait for me and allow me to lead, my Ladies.”

Chisato smiled faintly at that, sliding into the passageway with more grace than someone on all fours should. She offered a reassuring hand to Kanon, evidently aware of her sister’s timid nature, and held onto her as Misaki crawled right in after them. She was being incredibly kind and gentle to Kanon, which seemed out of place considering her regal, ice-cold image; Misaki supposed she could be acting kindly toward Misaki’s beloved in some sort of thanks for the kindness Misaki had shown Kaoru. Either that, or Chisato was warmer than she let on.

Regardless of the reason, Misaki was immensely grateful for it. Kanon was easily frightened, more than anyone really imagined, and it did her a whole lot of good to have two kind, reassuring presences by her side during such a tense, risky escape.

“This should take us right to the edge of the wall, my Ladies,” Misaki whispered as they crawled on, “Take the left stairway down; it should lead right up to the outer courtyard.”

From there, it would be a short sprint to the gate that led to their freedom, and to the desert where Kaoru was waiting. They were so close, there was a growing air of anticipation from Chisato, who had evidently been putting on an air of regal nonchalance up until this point. A few more steps, a few more minutes, and the pair could be reunited under the stars in a world of infinite possibilities.

Misaki suspected that, when the two reunited, even though it had been but a few days, there would be so many emotions involved, she and Kanon would get to witness the true Shirasagi Chisato cracking through her princess facade. There was a special bond between the two, something not unlike the bond Misaki shared with Kanon. After all, they were two people who had shared every aspect of their lives together from childhood, from their first words to their first periods; there was little that could compare to so deep and powerful a relationship.

“Please wait,” Misaki said softly as they approached the end of the stairway; she wanted to go out and check if the coast was clear.

It was less suspicious if she, a lowly servant, were to be spotted by the outer wall; she could have come to collect a package for her master, or running an errand for the laundry or kitchen heads. However, if either Princess was spotted so far away from the warmth and supposed safety of the castle, all hell would break loose.

Nervously, Misaki stuck her head out of the door - it was dark, empty and completely silent. That was strange, she thought, where were the guards that normally patrolled the edges, grumbling to each other about the sand getting caught in their armor? Where were the archers, staring unblinkingly out at the sand as they waited for an enemy?

It seemed too easy, those twelve clear meters of cobblestone between them and the desert, between them and freedom, so easy that Misaki instantly knew something was wrong.

Even the little fires that the watchers would usually light were missing, as if someone had intentionally plunged the place into silent darkness. If Misaki had not gone to the wall after dark before, to dispose of the body of that accursed boy she had killed and then to bring it back as Kaoru’s body double, she might have been fooled into thinking this was normal and rushed out without hesitation.

The King did not know she had seen the wall at night and was aware of what it usually was - he must have been counting on her to be indignant and foolish, stumbling out into the open under a blanket of false security...

“It’s a trap,” she realized, hissing at the Princesses still hidden in the shadows of the hallway, “Do not come out, it’s a trap!”

Before she could say another word, Misaki felt cold steel against her throat, and she raised her arms slowly in surrender, catching one last glimpse of Kanon’s wide, frightened eyes before she was dragged away…

 

* * *

 

Kanon watched in silent horror as torches began to light up the night - there were ten, twenty, no, thirty armed men, headed by her father, faithfully shadowed by his servant, with the accursed Crown Prince Akihisa just behind them. He had a smug look on his face as Misaki was dragged before them, one guard taking each arm as if she would have the strength to break away.

“I told you she was plotting something,” the Prince crowed, crossing his arms victoriously. “This is why you don’t give dogs too much trust.”

Beside him, the King looked upset, glancing at Toa briefly before turning to the Prince, “You watch your tongue, boy, before I have Toa remove it for you.”

Immediately, the Prince squeaked an apology, though Toa did not seem to react.

Did her father have a heart, Kanon wondered, to care about Toa as a human being? Did he love that man the way she loved Misaki, the way her elder sister loved her servant? Because, if he did, would she be able to run out to him, appeal to his heart and allow them to leave safely…?

From the hard look on her father’s face, and the grim one on Chisato’s, Kanon knew it was unlikely. As the guards approached the door they were hidden behind, Chisato drawing herself protectively in front of Kanon, she knew… she knew that Misaki’s sin was too great to be forgiven.

“My Ladies!” Looks of shock, of disbelief, of anger - and cruel, twisted victory on the young Prince’s face - Kanon felt every single one stab into her heart like a knife.

Misaki had attempted to smuggle royalty into the desert, a terrible offense in itself. If they knew who they had set out to meet - an enemy, a royal from a kingdom they had warred with - Misaki would be dying a death so cruel, Kaoru’s execution would seem like child’s play. There was not going to be another escape, not without any dungeon for Misaki to be held in, not without Mirei nearby to make a plan.

“What do we have here?” Even though he was looking straight at them, Kanon knew that her father was addressing Misaki, who had been forced to her knees before him.

Kanon wanted to speak up, to claim responsibility, to do anything that might spare Misaki’s life, but Chisato quickly laid a warning hand on her shoulder, gesturing with her chin for her to take a closer look at Misaki. She seemed to have a plan, her eyes were burning, and Kanon decided to trust her with everything that she had.

Unlike her, Misaki was brave and clever and strong, she did not falter easily and would not hesitate to draw a blade and fight. If Misaki had a plan… then Kanon would gladly bet her life on it.

“It is as it seems, my Lord,” Misaki said, confidence and contempt dripping from her voice, “I was trying to trick your foolish daughters into walking to their deaths.”

What?

Before Kanon could cry out in protest, Chisato’s grip tightened - _wait,_ she seemed to be trying to say, _and believe in Misaki._

So Kanon bit her lip and did just that, resisting the urge to cry out her servant’s name as Prince Akihisa reached out and struck her across the face.

“How dare you attempt to murder your master, and my wife-to-be?” He seemed livid, though Kanon could not be sure if it was genuine.

“I know who I am,” Misaki raised her head, and Kanon was surprised to see the fire that burned there, hot and angry and passionate in ways she never knew Misaki could be.

A part of her did care about her heritage, Kanon realized belatedly; Misaki was not heartless enough to feel that her family, her people and her country did not matter. She was angry for them, for herself, for all she had lost and for all they had endured, not that Kanon could or would blame her.

“What-”

The King interrupted the Prince almost immediately, “So she told you, the pathetic little bitch. And you decided to take your revenge on my girls?”

Misaki hesitated for only a split second, meeting Kanon’s eyes apologetically - she was going to say harsh words she did not mean. Was it all part of her plan, antagonizing the King? How would they be able to escape with their lives?

“Of course. An eye for an eye,” she said coolly, even though her fists were trembling with barely-repressed rage. “My family bled for your pointless greed, and look what it has brought you. The desert is ready to consume you and everything you have built!”

The King’s eye seemed to twitch, as if he were amused and also angered by her insolence - no one had ever dared raise their voice to him for as long as Kanon could remember. He was the King, just a step beneath god, untouchable and unquestionable; Misaki was surely courting death with her behavior.

“You’re a brave wretch, now aren’t you?” He looked down at her with what seemed to be begrudging respect. “Such fiery eyes.”

Kanon resisted the urge to cry out when he slapped her, the sound echoing across the vast desert. Was Kaoru out there, watching helplessly in the dark like a coward as yet another member of her dwindling bloodline was abused? Why wouldn’t she step forward, couldn’t she try to help them by flinging wind or sand over the boundary line?

The wind whimpered in her ear, almost as if it were answering her. No, magic was an ancient and unchangeable thing, and the rules of the Desert’s power had to be followed. Anyway, Kanon could not sit around relying on someone else to save the day again, not when it was her beloved Misaki at stake.

“Fa-Father…!” she stood up, breaking free from Chisato’s insistent hold. Ignoring Misaki’s desperate, pleading glances to sit down and be silent, my Lady, Kanon steadily met her father’s eyes. “Misaki is precious to me, I will not let you lay a hand on her!”

Startled by the normally docile Princess’ outburst, everyone stared in silence for a long moment, until the King finally broke it.

“Not only is she an enemy, you heard from her own lips how she attempted to trick and kill you,” the King said, trying to sound like a reasonable adult with a foul-tempered toddler. “Let me take care of this.”

“I know her best,” Kanon protested, “Her name was the first word I ever said, and mine hers. Leave her be!”

The King frowned, and then gestured to the guards nearest to him. “My daughter is too emotional to face the truth. Please keep her from interfering.”

Immediately, the largest two broke off from the group to surround Kanon - obviously, her father knew of how easy she was to intimidate, and had picked the fiercest looking men to silence her. Kanon’s heart was going a mile a minute against her ribcage, and all it took was that moment of frightened distraction for her father to issue his command.

“Burn her.”

Two simple words, but they were more than enough to destroy it all. Wordlessly, the men moved to obey, and in her shock, Kanon could only stare in open-mouthed horror.

It was Chisato who broke first, lunging forward in a pitiful attempt to save Misaki, “Father, please reconsider-”

“Silence!” the King snapped, looking absolutely furious. “I should not have offered those Desert barbarians mercy and invited them into my own house. A thief and a traitor… and it seems they have also attempted to seduce my precious daughters!”

Precious - Kanon had to resist the urge to laugh. They were not precious to him and would never be; they were but pawns to be used to fulfill a goal, and now, that goal was to create beneficial bonds with neighboring kingdoms through marriage.

“Father,” she finally managed to find her voice, a growing anger and desperation inside her chest, “If you were told Toa had turned traitor, you would not believe it, would you? For you know him, and I know Misaki!”

He paused for a moment, looking almost thoughtful, before turning to his servant. “Toa, would you ever say you betrayed me if you truly had not?”

“If it would benefit you, my Lord, I would without hesitation,” came Toa’s reply - exactly what Misaki was probably doing.

Hope sprang in Kanon’s pounding chest - if Toa told her father to spare Misaki, for the sake of the bond between them, he would surely listen! They shared the same loyalty, the same devotion, the same unbreakable bond…!

The King nodded, and then turned to Kanon with a ruthless smile. “If she were lying for your sake, Kanon, it would be you I should burn, am I wrong?”

Immediately, Misaki flung herself at the King, her pathetic attempt easily stopped by the guards restraining her.

“You fool!” she was desperate, pleading with Kanon to keep silent, to let her handle this, and Kanon felt her blood run cold as she finally understood her servant’s plan.

Misaki intended to take the blame and die for this escape plan, in order to keep Kanon safe. Chisato, “grief-stricken and out of her mind” as they believed she was, would be given the excuse of insanity, but if Misaki was proven innocent… it would mean Kanon was the mastermind. They might even think she was trying to murder her elder sister in order to steal the throne.

Misaki’s trembling gaze met Chisato’s, and suddenly, she seemed to harden again. “Die for me if you so wish,” she said coldly, “At least I would be able to complete half of my mission.”

“See?” the King gestured triumphantly, “This girl cares nothing for you, my child. You have been tricked.”

Out in the desert, a powerful wind had started, shrieking as it rushed through the guard towers that had long been swallowed by the sand. Yet, strangely, it came to a halt by the path, as if an invisible wall prevented it from passing. All the wind could do was fling itself at the wall with great howls, causing the entire group to flinch and gasp.

By Kanon’s side, Chisato mouthed a single word: _Kaoru._

Was she trying to help, to test the limits of the magic she had learned? It was the only explanation for how unnaturally the wind was behaving, and Kanon felt her heart ache - once again, she was too useless to stand up for herself, and others were trying so hard to rise up in her stead.

Misaki, Chisato and now Kaoru… they were willing to take risks, to push boundaries and swallow back their fear to fight a battle that was not theirs… How could she sit back and let them? This was her fight, it was time for her to be brave, even if it would amount to nothing.

The guards before her were distracted, watching their fellows shudder at the wind and rush to prepare the fire. Her father was rushing them along, wanting to finish the execution and get out of the wind quickly, so he was not paying attention to her, either. Her sister was straining against the guard’s firm grip on her arms, looking toward the desert with that painful, wistful look of someone who was so, so close to what she wanted, yet could not obtain it.

Misaki was the only one who was looking at Kanon, her smile apologetic and loving at the same time. She did not want to leave Kanon’s side, that much was clear, but this was the only way she could save her. For her, Misaki was willing to pay the ultimate price, to throw away her life, as if it was somehow worth less than Kanon’s.

Well, Kanon knew what she was going to do. It terrified her, it could fail and she would suffer some consequences for it, but she would not be able to live with herself if she didn’t try. Misaki had tried, Chisato had tried, Kaoru had tried, so now it was Kanon’s turn to.

Meeting her gaze steadily, Kanon thought, _I love you more than life itself, Misaki..._

* * *

 

Kaoru cursed yet again as the winds stopped abruptly by the stone path; why couldn’t she do anything to help her friends when they were standing right in front of her eyes? If this kept up, she would have to reveal herself, to let them know who she was, but… that would take away her advantage, surprise, when they stormed the castle. And if that happened…

Chisato would be at risk.

Kaoru steeled her heart, a task that was almost worryingly easy, considering the scene before her. She would have to let Misaki die, she would gladly let the whole world die if it meant keeping Chisato safe and happy.

She had tried to repay the favor Misaki had given her to the best of her ability, and if Misaki thought it was not good enough, then she could take it up with her in hell. They were personal servants, loyal and devoted to a fault; surely she would understand. If the tables were turned, Misaki would behave in the same way, putting Kanon first - Kaoru would not expect anything else.

On the path, the soldiers had managed to light a large bonfire by tearing down the useless wooden barriers that had been built to keep out the advancing sand. Misaki did not let herself get dragged toward it, instead walking toward the flames with the dignity and poise of a queen. Evidently, she had thought the same thing Kaoru had - they could break your body, but they could never break your spirit; they could take your life, but they could never take your pride.

Chisato was not even looking at her, searching the desert with desperate eyes, and Kaoru found herself smiling at her Princess’ predictable behavior. Selfish little Chisato had never been the type to even pretend to care about others - Kaoru was her priority, and she made that very clear. The entire world could be burning, the sky could be falling, her people could lie bleeding, and Chisato’s eyes would still be on Kaoru.

The flames rose, dancing in twisted joy as Misaki was pushed into their depths, climbing up her vulnerable flesh and searing her clothes to her skin. The agony must have been unbearable - the old burns on Kaoru’s back twitched and ached in memory - but Misaki did not scream. She could have whimpered, the shrieking wind was loud enough to cover that, and Kaoru decided to keep it up to help her fellow servant and cousin die with her head held high.

It was a terrible death, her skin split and bubbled and charred, the smell of it reaching Kaoru on the whipping winds. Chisato cringed, turning to reach for her sister’s hand, and it was just then that the unexpected happened.

Quiet, docile little Kanon slipped through the guards, shoved her way past the gloating Prince and her grinning father, and flung herself into the flames.

“Misaki!”

“Ka-Kanon!”

In the shimmering heat, Kanon flung her arms around Misaki’s neck, her face contorted in a mixture of agony and pure, unadulterated love. As the soldiers began to panic, the King desperately ordering them to brave the desert winds in order to smother the flames with sand, Kaoru averted her gaze.

This was their private moment, their first and last declaration of love in a cruel world that would never afford them happiness. It was Kanon’s only rebellion, the bravest choice she had ever made, and Kaoru found herself filled with respect for the meek little Princess.

For the love of her life, she had walked into hell, and there was no greater sign of devotion.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Chisato slipped away from her guard, carefully picking her way toward the edge of the desert. Having noticed her movement, Kaoru quickly followed her, coming right up to the edge of the desert where her Princess would emerge.

If she could just step out, just a little bit, they would be able to escape, even if it meant using Kanon and Misaki’s lives as distractions.

So close, Chisato was so close, just a few more steps and she would be safe in Kaoru’s arms once more. Her outstretched fingertips were just centimeters away from the boundary line, so close that Kaoru could feel their warmth. Without a moment’s hesitation, Chisato plunged her hand into the wall of wind, and Kaoru quickly reached out to take it.

Their fingers intertwined, a huge grin of joy and disbelief spreading across Chisato’s face as she cried out, “Kaoru?”

Before she could respond, two guards tackled her from behind, wrenching her away.

“That is dangerous, my Lady!” they shouted, keeping their grip firm, “His Majesty has ordered you returned to the castle immediately!”

No, no, they were so close! In a panic, Kaoru pressed herself against the invisible wall, feeling her magic shriek in warning. She could not reveal herself now, it would only lead to Chisato being taken away even faster. The only way… the only way was to wait for the ambush, to find her way to Chisato and whisk her out of the King’s grasp. If he knew who was leading the charge, he would not be above using his own daughter against her, threatening harm upon Chisato unless Kaoru obeyed him.

Kaoru knew that, she knew it well, but it took all of her self-control not to fling herself across the boundary anyway. Chisato was crying, shrieking her name in uncharacteristic desperation, her wounded cries shattering Kaoru’s already broken heart. But she could not throw away her chance - her people were relying on her, she had a duty too great to just throw away her life and hope death would reunite her with her Princess.

As the wall slowly emptied, leaving the burning bodies of Kanon and Misaki to light up the night, Kaoru crept closer. Remaining safely on her side of the border, she lowered her head in apology and prayer, hoping that they would overcome their pointless, cruel deaths and find happiness in another world.

“If it isn’t too much to ask,” Kaoru whispered, “Keep watch over our people, Misaki. May they find happiness in this world.”

To her surprise, a beautiful blue line of light arced across the sky, the exact same shade as Misaki’s eyes.

 _I will do what I can,_ her voice whispered, carried by the wind, _but the rest is up to you. The living have the heaviest burdens to carry._

“Mi-Misaki!”

_We have been freed from our chains, Kaoru-san, but you have much yet to do._

“I…” she faltered, wondering what to say, if there was anything she could even say to explain what she had done - leaving two people to burn to death.

_Don’t worry about it. I would have done the same in your place. We personal servants are twisted creatures, aren’t we?_

Kaoru cradled the hand that Chisato had touched to her chest, a faint smile spreading across her face as she nodded, “Indeed, we are.”


End file.
